Elretur, Denmark’s largest Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) for the collection, reuse and recycling of e-waste, and the international recycling group Stena Recycling A/S have jointly established Loop Electronic A/S. The company will set new standards in Europe for the reuse and recycling of discarded white goods, old mobile phones, end-of-life household appliances and other used electronics.
Poul Poulsen will take up the position as CEO on 1 June and is looking forward to the new challenge.
“Discarded electronics are one of the world’s largest waste streams and represent a major environmental challenge. Loop Electronic A/S is the first initiative of its kind in Europe and aims to increase the reuse of used electronics sevenfold compared with today. We have been established by two of Denmark’s absolute leading reuse and recycling players, Stena Recycling A/S and Elretur, and we will reuse and recycle electronic products on a scale not previously seen in Europe,” says Poul Poulsen.
Elretur is Denmark’s largest PRO and has managed EPR for the collection, reuse, recycling and disposal of discarded electronics on behalf of its more than 950 members since 2005. The organisation has brought almost 20 years of experience, accumulated knowledge and insight into play in creating the new initiative together with its partner Stena Recycling A/S.
“We are very pleased that Poul has agreed to take on the task of leading and developing Loop Electronic A/S. Poul has been deeply involved in reuse and recycling projects over the past five years and has previously worked with electronic products for many years. We hope that Loop Electronic A/S will inspire our colleagues in other countries to scale the reuse and recycling of discarded electronics, so that we place an even stronger focus on the circular economy, reduce CO2 emissions and protect the environment,” says Morten Harboe-Jepsen, chair of the board of Loop Electronic A/S and CEO of Elretur.
Loop Electronic A/S is a First Treatment facility where discarded electronic products suitable for reuse are very precisely and efficiently sorted, identified and function-tested. The products are then sent to certified repairers, who refurbish them and bring them back onto the market.
The new innovative processes at Loop Electronic A/S mean that the organisations behind the initiative expect to take up to 60,000 discarded electrical products out of the waste stream and return them to the market - benefiting the environment, the climate and consumers’ finances.
In addition to reuse, the new First Treatment facility will also mean that Denmark increases the reuse and recycling of separate components and critical raw materials used in the production of new electronic products.
“There is a major global shortage of both electronic components and critical raw materials. If products cannot be reused directly, we can often recycle parts of the products and recover valuable critical raw materials, so they can be reused in new products instead of being extracted through mining, which is a major source of CO2 emissions and places a heavy burden on the environment,” says Jakob Høy Thomsen, vice-chair of the board of Loop Electronic A/S.
Official sources expect the global waste stream for discarded electronics and electrical items to increase from 53.6 million tonnes in 2019 to 74.7 million tonnes in 2030. That is an increase of 39% and corresponds to 9 kg per person worldwide. It is therefore extremely important to increase reuse and recycling rates in order to reduce the production of new products, protect scarce raw materials and reduce CO2 emissions.
“We expect Loop Electronic A/S to play a very significant role in Denmark’s vision of taking a leading position in the circular economy in Europe,” says Morten Harboe-Jepsen.
Loop Electronic A/S operates east of the Great Belt. Loop Electronic A/S’ sister company, Electronic Reuse and Recycling A/S in Middelfart, will cover western Denmark. The company has been established by Elretur together with the recycling company HJ Hansen Recycling A/S.