„Banish the ghosts of old electronics” – national wide

Targu Mures 20.01.2011 – Environ Association, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Forests, is launching today the national campaign “Banish the ghosts of old electronics”. The campaign will run sequentially in all the counties of the country, begining with the 1st of February, and it aims the selective collecting and recycling of the electric, electronic and home appliances waste (WEEE). Thereby, the implementation of a functional national wide program of awareness and selective collecting of the electric and electronic equipment waste is attempted (WEEE).

Continuing the series of actions of informing and educating of the population about the electric and electronic waste matter, Environ Association launches today, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the national campaign “Banish the ghosts of old electronics.”

Through this project, Environ Association, under the high patronage of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, aims the implementation of a national wide awareness program and an effective system of WEEE collection, in accordance with the stipulations of the Directive 1037/2010. The national extending of the campaign comes after the results achieved after running the pilot program in the 1st District of Bucharest in November 2010, which resulted in the collection of 8,000 kg of electric and electronic waste and information on over 100 tenants associations and 100 institutions and companies.

“At this moment the situation is very simple: Romania’s commitment is to gather a quantity of 4 kg of electric waste per capita, and we are currently quite far from this result. That’s why we decided to sign this collaboration protocol with Environ Association, to give a helping hand in this respect. As you will observe, the local authorities, the public institutions but also the companies will play an important role, through this national project being able the “escape” from all the electronic waste around them. We begin this campaign in Tg-Mures, but we intend to reach every county in the country. I appeal to the citizens of Târgu-Mures, I appeal to the tenants associations to involve, to clean the city and the country of waste!” declared Mr. Laszlo Borbely Minister during the press conference held in Targu Mures.
The campaign will take place successively in all the national counties, engaging both citizens and the local authorities in the selective collection of electrical and electronic equipment waste process.

The campaign addresses equally to the tenants associations, public institutions, private companies and citizens, who can enroll in the campaign through the association’s website www.environ.ro. The information and collection action will also enjoy the support of the volunteer teams, whose purpose is to inform and “enroll” in the campaign a large number of institutions and tenants associations.

Throughout the campaign period, Environ Association provides to those interested the phone number 031.831.DEEE (031.831.3333) for information and planning the takeover of electric and electronic waste.

To stimulate the selective collection of WEEE’s, the campaign also has a competitive component, as follows:
• At local level, tenants associations but also institutions and companies can join a competition, whose winners will be nominated at the end of the period in which the action takes place in that county. The categories of awards are:

• Tenants associations – The „greenest” tenants association
• Institutions  – The „greenest” institution
• Companies –The company „free” of WEEEs
• Citizens – The most EcoActiv citizen

•    At national level, « the greenest » county will be nominated at the end of the campaign.

“We believe that the conjugated efforts of the Ministry and Environ Association represent a good premise for the success of the campaign. It is only a first step, which, in time, we hope to contribute in creating a habit of selective collection for both citizens and companies. We hope that at the end of the campaign we will be forced to offer more prizes than we initially predicted “, declares Andrei Orban, the President of Environ Association, the initiator of the campaign.

For a better deployment of the project, info-points will be located both at the headquarters of Environ Association and the Ministry of Environment and Forests, as well in the key-areas of the city, where informative materials will be available for the citizens.

Press contact:
Environ Association                     The Ministry of Environment and Forests
Elena Gaspar – Ion                         Communication Direction
Image Adviser
Tel: 0727 552222                        Tel: 021/3166138
Mail: elena.gaspar@environ.ro
www.environ.ro                          www.mmediu.ro

02-12-2010 Positive environmental messages help encourage behavioural change

A Belgian public survey on greener energy consumption has found that positive messages about environmental issues may be more effective than negative messages in encouraging behavioural change for large sections of the public. The researchers suggest this can help policy planners devise targeted communications strategies.

Different sectors of the public are sensitive to the way in which information is presented to them. The researchers explored public responses to communications about energy and environmental problems which suggest that individuals can personally do something about these issues. For example, they could use less energy or more renewable energy sources, such as biofuels.

They conducted an internet survey of 260 respondents living in Belgium which contained questions about what respondents knew and felt about the environment, with an emphasis on energy use and biofuels. In addition, the survey contained a message about energy and environmental issues and urged people to do something to address these problems.

Participants in the survey received one of two versions of the message. Both had similar contents, but one of the messages was negatively framed and the other message was positively framed.

The negative message stressed the seriousness of environmental and energy problems and the damaging consequences, such as greater pollution, higher energy prices and threatened energy security. In contrast, the positively framed message emphasised what could be gained by changing behaviour, such as reduced environmental pollution and greater energy security. Participants were asked how they thought the message they read would influence their behaviour, as well as other people’s behaviour.

The study found that many respondents had only a limited understanding of alternative energy sources, such as biofuels, and wanted more information. These respondents tended to be younger than 35 years old or older than 55 years, were less well educated and the majority were women. The positive message raised their level of concern and the desire to change behaviour and could therefore be more effective than a negatively framed message. For example, having read the positive message, women reported that they were more likely to be interested in choosing energy-efficient cars or using more biofuels in place of fossil fuels.

However, for respondents between the ages of 35 and 55, concern about environmental and energy issues was not increased by either type of message and they did not become more inclined to change their behaviour. Other communication strategies may therefore need to be developed for this age group. In addition, the study found that whichever message the participants received, concern about environmental problems was greater than their belief that they could do something about it.

Nevertheless, the study concluded that positive messages containing opportunities and solutions are, in general, more effective in encouraging behavioural changes which reduce the environmental impact of energy use.

The researchers add that public trust in the information source is also important when designing effective communication strategies.

Source: Van de Velde, L., Verbeke, W., Popp, M., Van Huylenbroeck, G. (2010). The importance of message framing for providing information about sustainability and environmental aspects of energy. Energy Policy. 38: 5541–5549.

Buy-back, a business for some

Ecologic Take-over

A lot has been written about buy-back. We have also written a lot on this theme in the ecologic review. Maybe too much and to no avail, because for years, buy-back campaigns have continued, conducted by the same people and the same companies.

Matei Dumitru

We have never considered and we do not consider that this method of collecting waste electrical and electronic equipment – the so-called WEEE – is a bad or wrong thing to do. It is in the interest of the citizen who benefits from discounts when purchasing a new refrigerator or a new TV set – significant discounts – it is also in the interest of WEEE recycling companies who can, at least, hope for more waste. I am saying “hope” because this is what these campaigns are all about: hope. If waste amounts collected by this system were pretty large during the first years, in time they continuously decreased. It could be said that the cause is the economic crisis and the poverty of the citizens who cannot afford anymore to buy new refrigerators and TV sets. It could also be said that – if at the beginning discounts received when purchasing a new product were subject to bringing a faulty appliance – now the discount is granted anyway, with or without submitting the “waste” in stores, where negotiations can be carried out. Just like at the market, but at the citizen’s expenses.

And here is the big question. Is money collected from the green tax applied to any electrical appliance public money?
If this money got to the Environmental Fund Administration it would have been public money. But the same money collected by collective organizations – public interest organizations – is not public money anymore… is costs. Hence, other fallacies. Collective organizations are not obliged by law to declare their incomes and receipts, fact that does not impede many of them to do this. But not all… But we shall discuss more on this subject in the editions to come.
The money resulted from the green tax or the eco tax – or whatever they call it – should be spent according to the law only to cover the collection, treatment and non-pollutant disposal of electrical waste. In fact, buy-back is only a method of spending now – in order to stimulate sales – a warrantee collected to be spent over years for collection and recycling activities.

What we do not understand is why these campaigns should be and are in the interest of the manufacturer or importer, why the green tax paid by each poor man in this country who buys an electrical appliance is the support of companies that sell products in Romania for a much higher price than in any other EU country.
Why do not these companies support all these buy-back campaigns from their own funds? They would thus give proof of responsibility and active involvement in the current issues of the country which are their source of profit. Why they enjoy elders’ and children’s money and why they get involved in such campaigns that are, if not illegal, but somewhere on the edge of law, is a mystery. Because it is hard to believe that the main office is not aware of the facts that happen in the Romanian representatives. Or maybe i am wrong… What we do not understand is the lack of responsiveness of the Romanian authorities who avoid any kind of discussion on this theme, which has overnight become extremely sensitive in a very strange manner.

Here is the position of several responsibility take-over associations regarding buy-back, associations that have taken attitude and signed a protest letter addressed to all responsible authorities in Romania. Authorities that did not bother to answer so far…

“Buy back” – harmful to waste collection

At the beginning of August, three collective associations for waste electrical and electronic waste management, including lighting sources (CCR Logistics Systems, Ecotic and Recolamp) denounced “buy back” campaigns in a letter addressed to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, to the Competition Council, to the Ministry of Economy, Commerce and Business Environment, to the National Environmental Squad and to the National Environmental Protection Agency.

According to this letter, in 2008, a harmful and still not perpetuated phenomenon occurred within retail chains: buy-back campaign financed by collective organizations. During these campaigns the population is offered a financial advantage (in the form of discount voucher upon the purchase of a new appliance of a certain brand) in case they hand over a used electrical or electronic piece of equipment. Although at first sight this initiative stimulates the handing over of electrical equipment, it has harmful average and long term effects and they can even lead to the cessation of waste collection.

In May 2009, the Ministry of Environment issued the Address no. 3828/ NN/18.05.2009, whereby it requires the cessation of buy-back actions, but some of the associations continue to carry out these actions, ironically called “replacement campaigns”. According to this “packaging”, campaigns aim at the replacement of an old appliance with a new one, which is assumed to be more energetically efficient, reducing this the carbon footprint.

“We cannot and we do not want to call technologic process in question and, therefore, we do not call in question the fact that new equipment may have a superior energetic class. But reducing the carbon footprint is not part of the legal destinations of the amounts dedicated to managing electrical and electronic waste” declared Raul Pop, Recolamp General Manager.

“Discouraging the creation of permanent collection centres, the impossibility to stop these campaigns, as well as the embezzlement of funds are just a few negative aspects of such campaigns” added Valentin Negoiţă, Ecotic President.
“The CCR Association, the Ecotic Association and the Recolamp Association express their legitimate right to request that legal provisions in force be observed and address the authorities whereby this open letter, hoping for a prompt settlement” declared Gheorghe Loloiu, CCR General Manager.

Buy-back in Dâmboviţa Style

Even if it was not one of the signatories of the open letter, the Environ Association supports this step considering it to be of good omen given the current circumstances. The President of the Environ Association, Andrei Orban, declared: “The main reason (of this step – Ed) is related to the flagrant violation of the principles of the European legislation, transparency, non-discrimination and free competition. The discretionary way of allocating the amounts collected from the green tax by some of the market players to the detriment of the others, unbalancing free competition through masked financing of commercial discounts are arguments against buy-back campaigns. Although as a practice has proved its efficiency n many European states, encouraging a change in consumers’ mentality and enabling the collection of significant amounts of electrical waste, the buy-back in Dâmboviţa degenerated, becoming a real danger against the financing of management systems in the field and achieving the goal of Directive 2002/96/EC, namely WEEE recycling and non-pollutant disposal”.

We change the law!

Concerning the open letter addressed to the Ministry of Environment and Forests on the buy-back theme, Minister László Borbély declared:

“These organization require us to give up buy-back campaigns, but they actually request that we regulate this field more clearly. By amending the Government Decision no. 448, which is already on the site, we try to clarify certain things. The main issue was the fact that the use of the amounts collected from the green tax also included advertising and awareness raising –besides processing, treatment, recycling, disposal – which many times lead to these organizations becoming advertising agents of manufacturers. The problem was with the discount, because some of them used up to 70% of the incomes for awareness raising, which is neither normal, nor part of the European practice. Therefore, by amending the Government Decision no. 448, we shall try to stop this, following that the manufacturer, if they want publicity, to appeal wither to own resources, or to the Environmental Fund”.

Beneficiaries of the campaign “CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE, CLOSE TO THE ENVIRONMENT”

Beneficiaries of the campaign “CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE, CLOSE TO THE ENVIRONMENT”

Bucharest, September 1, 2010 – The campaign “Close to the people, close to the environment” initiated by the Environ Association got to the end with the support of 15 companies and associations and natural persons who have donated goods and services. The beneficiaries of the humanitarian campaign are the inhabitants of Dorohoi town, badly affected by the July floods.

The mobilisation was carried out by electronic, audio and video means in order to protect the environment by avoiding paper consumption

Bucharest, September 1, 2010 – The campaign “Close to the people, close to the environment” initiated by the ENVIRON Association got to the end with the support of 15 companies and associations and natural persons who have donated goods and services. The beneficiaries of the humanitarian campaign are the inhabitants of Dorohoi town, badly affected by the July floods.

“Fortunately, bank, telephony and leasing companies have promptly responded to our appeal, joining our partners and the founding members of ENVIRON. Using the local infrastructure of our Association, during a month, we have collected food, clothing, footwear and beds, domestic appliances and medicines. I was glad to see that our partners’ professionalism in the commercial environment could also be seen during the campaign, both among employees, as well as in the efficient distribution of reliefs”, says Andrei Orban, ENVIRON President, who has coordinated the teams in Bucharest, Cluj and Bacau, but also the call center made available for such purpose.

In the first phase of the campaign – that of mobilising our partners – the Association has exclusively used electronic communication means, in order to avoid paper consumption: newsletters, social medial channels, SMS etc. Then, we concluded a partnership with Radio Bucuresti and a TV spot.

Another novel element was the fact that we consulted local partners in order to identify the needs of affected persons. Thus, REMAT Holding donated 20 cookers, 20 washing machines and 20 combined refrigerators to most affected families in Dorohoi. The same degree of involvement was seen in Societatea Romana de Salvare and the Bucharest-Ilfov Ambulance Service (SABIF) whose doctors accompanied the caravan making available free medical consultations for the victims.

The ENVIRON Association made available the trucks used for transporting the reliefs. The campaign “Close to the people, close to the environment” shall continue during the following months, in order to meet the requirements of various families in the area affected by the floods.

The campaign is supported by SNRB (the National Battery Recycling System), Salvati Delta si Dunarea, Societatea de Salvare din Bucuresti, Ecosophia, Bucharest – Ilfov Ambulance Service, the Excellence Centre for Sustainable Development (CEDD), Remat Holding, Bank of Cyprus, Leaseplan, Volksbank Leasing and by members of the Environ Association such as: Asesoft Distribution, Domo Retail, Singer Romania, ABN Systems, Global Expedition SRL, Cosmote.

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About ENVIRON: The ENVIRON Association was established in 2007. The ENVIRON Association has developed an inherent efficient waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) take-over and recovery system in compliance with the legislation in force and with the goals of the National Waste Management Strategy and the National Waste Management Plan, subject to a permanent optimization of the operating costs.
The Environ Association is an organization is open both for manufacturers who want to adhere as members, as well as for those who want to conclude a responsibility transfer contract without becoming members.