Being at the end of the ninth year of business, we can declare that ECOTIC has become a mature organization with significant impact on the management of waste electrical and electronic equipment and waste batteries and accumulators in Romania. 
We managed over 11,000 tonnes of WEEE and over 60 tons of DBA keeping an uptrend on both flows and realizing the highest collection rates in the market.
WEEE collection infrastructure and DBA has increased to 550 collection points for electronics and 3.180 collection points for batteries. The new collection solutions are available at ECOTIC and ECOTIC BAT’s networks: Altex and Media Galaxy, Metro, Penny, XXL, Mega Image, Doi Pasi network, as well as universities like ASE and UPB.
ECOTIC continued the implementation of standards WEEELABEX by complex evaluations of treatment operations partners, WEEE batch tretment tests and systematization of waste streams.
Examples of how to properly recycle WEEE were detailed in our articles that addressed also on how to conduct verifications of treatment operations, how they recycle a monitor, how they recycles PC’s and cooling and refrigeration units.
This year, ECOTIC conducted an extensive market study entitled “Attitudes and habits concerning waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)”, one of the conclusions of this study indicating that urban households are found in about 7.1 kg WEEE / inhabitant. Another study conducted by ECOTIC WEEE revealed that most of WEEE in rural areas are historical waste.
In November, ECOTIC launched the project “Caravan ECOTIC”, a comprehensive awareness project, financed by the European Commission through the Life +. The core of the Caravan is a mobile exhibition which presents ten types of waste electrical and electronic equipment disassembled, showing for educational components. The caravan will reach 150 schools and 30 public markets by mid-2016.
The project includes actions “Recycling Days in your town”. In 2014 were organized “ECO DAYS in your school ” project events in Bucharest, Timisoara and Giurgiu, the caravan being hosted by 21 schools, 9.192 students understanding better why it is well properly recycle WEEE and DBA, and local seminars with institutions involved in the management of WEEE.
A remarkable event was the sixth edition of “Awards Gala 2014 for a clean environment” where were awarded high-impact projects in environmental protection and sustainable development.
Other projects and public awareness collection conducted in 2014 by ECOTIC and ECOTIC BAT were:
• Tu reciclezi, noi te premiem – environmental education campaign in schools
• RRResponsabil – completed project funded by the Swiss-Romanian Cooperation Programme
• collection and awareness campaigns in Botosani, Iasi, Timisoara and Buzau
• collection and awareness campaigns store chains Metro, Media Galaxy and Dedeman and in UPB
• Si cei mici fac fapte mari – kindergartens campaign dedicated DBA
• Recicleaza cu ECOTIC – project devoted B2B
Other important activities:
- “Politici verzi in companii” seminar, organised by ECOTIC and APDETIC
- Ziua portilor deschise la recicare – event dedicated to ECOTIC’s producers, ocasioned by the International Environment Day
- Scoala Altfel events
- Ziua impaduririi
- Roaba de cultura events, ocasioned by the International Environment Day
- Assoclic 2014 social project
- Micii ambasadori ai mediului
ECOTIC hosted WEEE Forum General Assembly in Bucharest, where he was elected a new President, who will represent the collective organizations at European level.
ECOTIC got involved in legislative debates related to waste management, participating in the debate on the implementation of the new WEEE Directive and the opinions and reviews were submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. ECOTIC joined the group “Horizon 2020 Initiative Romania” group in which market actors discuss ways to improve the legislative framework.
ECOTC participated in the discussion of the new law on sanitation and other events with the Minister of Environment.
Members of the ECOTIC’s team held presentations in events like: Cum curatam Romania – ZF Conference, ECOMEDIU 2014, Societatea Europeana a Reciclarii – Resurse Naturale si Managementul Deseurilor, Provocari globale – abordari locale: reciclarea deseurilor & economisirea resurselor, R4R – Region for Recycling and VIP partners meeting Likeit.
Together for a clean environment!
