The effects of the pandemic and isolation were strongly felt in the field of e-waste collection. Our colleagues from WEEE Forum, the international organization that brings together over 40 local associations from 5 continents, have faced many challenges and a drastic reduction in activity.

83% of WEEE Forum members were forced to change their work plans and shift the focus of communication to online and social media.

Countries with high collection rates have interrupted campaigns with the population and launched media communication projects.

In the UK, a champion in WEEE collection, all Repic consumer campaigns have been stopped and influencer education programs have been run, and in Ireland, where there are normally a lot of campaigns on all channels, the collection activity was completely suspended by the board of WEEE Ireland.

“During this period it was very difficult to gain the attention of the press or to communicate with consumers”, reveals the results of a study conducted by the WEEE Forum team. “58% of members have run a campaign related to the pandemic, explaining to the consumers, members and partners how to proceed with e-waste during the lockdown.”

And yet… ”The RoRec team and our partners from more than half of Romania continued to work and kept ongoing the communication channels with the consumers, as well as the e-waste collection activities, says Gabriela Tranciuc, PR & COMM project manager. This brought us to the forefront of interaction with the public and made it possible for us to quickly resume work across the country when the state of emergency was lifted. We were unique in Europe through this active approach and thus responded to the requests of those who needed us. We can say that we have written history again and I thank the operators, the crews on the field and the colleagues who held up the WEEE collection flag in these difficult times ”.