Assessment of direction changes in waste electrical and electronic equipment management in Poland

Abstract The growing amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment indicates the need to verify the effectiveness of its management both nationally and globally. The conducted analysis of the WEEE economy in Poland over five years confirmed the increase in the mass of collected equipment by 16.64%. The maximum yearly mass of electrical and electronic equipment introduced to the market during this period was 607 240 Mg, with the average value exceeding 500 000 Mg. The category with the largest mass of WEEE collected was for waste code 20 01 36, exceeding 235 000 Mg, while the highest weight accumulation rate of waste, 45.98 kg per capita, was recorded in one of the smallest voivodeships of Poland. This result showed the diversity of WEEE accumulation on a national scale. Overall, a noticeable increase has occurred in the WEEE accumulation rate as the gross domestic product has increased, despite the decrease in population. The analysis based on the waste accumulation indicators, including socioeconomic factors, confirmed the need to develop forms of WEEE recovery and recycling to transition to a circular economy.