Why and how to join Ecologic?

Electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) - Article R 543-174 of the Environmental Code and subsequent articles, a ‘producer’ is a company that places EEE on the French market (metropolitan France, overseas departments and regions, and overseas collectivities).

I may have one (or more) status(es) as a distributor depending on the marketing schemes for equipment in France:

• Manufacturer (I manufacture EEE, ASL and/or ABJ Th on national territory)

• Importer (I import EEE, ASL and/or ABJ Th from countries outside the EU)

• Importer (I import EEE, ASL and/or ABJ Th from EU member countries)

• Reseller (or distributor), if the equipment is sold under its own brand

• Distance seller (I sell directly from abroad to households or users other than households).

EEE, ASL and/or ABJ Th transferred free of charge are also covered

Marketers of reconditioned equipment are only affected by the regulations when the equipment is being placed on the market in France for the first time.

This means that equipment purchased abroad, reconditioned and then resold on the French market is affected by the regulations, as this constitutes its first placement on the market in France.

Any equipment purchased in France, reconditioned and resold on the French market is not affected by the regulations, as the eco-contribution was paid for this equipment when it was first placed on the market in France.

You must appoint a French representative responsible for fulfilling your EEA obligations in France.

Contact us via our contact form.

Producers are responsible for the end-of-life management of their waste and must fulfil their regulatory obligations. There are two ways of doing this: either join an eco-organisation or set up their own system.

In both cases, the producer is required to:

• Register with the ADEME national register of producers: Syderep,

• Declare annually the total quantities and weights of EEE/ASL/ABJ placed on the French market, and the part of recycled material incorporated per piece of equipment,

• Inform end users of the equipment,

• Finance the collection and treatment of equipment, and support repair and reuse

• Ensure collection and treatment and promote repair and reuse,

• Submit annual collection and treatment reports to the public authorities.

The Unique Identification Number (IDU) certifies that the producer/marketer is duly registered with the eco-organisation and up to date with their eco-contributions, as required by law (Environmental Code Articles L541-10 to L541-10-17).

The IDU is used to facilitate the monitoring and control of compliance with EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) obligations incumbent on producers. The IDU is valid for one year and is renewed annually. It must appear on your GTC (General Terms and Conditions of Sale) and all contractual documents.

Equipment operating on electric currents or electromagnetic fields, and equipment for the generation, transfer and measurement of such currents and fields, designed for use at a voltage not exceeding 1,000 volts for alternating current and 1,500 volts for direct current (Article R543-172 of the Environment Code).

8 categories for EEE:

• Heat exchange equipment

• Screens, monitors and equipment containing screens with a surface area greater than 100 cm²

• Lamps*

• Large equipment

• Small equipment

• Small IT and telecommunications equipment

• Photovoltaic panels*

• Pedal-assisted bicycles and motorised personal mobility devices.

*Ecologic is not authorised for these categories.

This distinction is made based on the nature and function of the equipment.

Professional EEE is EEE intended solely for professional use and is not available to households.

Household EEE is EEE intended for use by households and individuals, regardless of the sales channel.

Some distributors are required to take back used EEE from their customers.

1-for-0 take-back:

Distributors with an EEE sales area of at least 400 m² must offer a free ‘1-for-0’ take-back solution for the same product category.

1-for-1 take-back:

Obligation to take back used products that the end user is disposing of, either in-store or by delivery.

Sources :

• Article R543-180 - Code de l'environnement

• Article L541-10-8 - Code de l'environnement

• Sous-section 4 : Reprise des produits usagés par les distributeurs (Articles R541-158 à R541-166)

Sports and leisure items are equipment used for sports or outdoor leisure activities, including accessories and consumables, as defined in R543-330 of the Environment Code:

Bicycles as defined in 6.10 of Article R. 311-1 of the Highway Code and non-motorised personal mobility devices as defined in 6.16 of the same article

Products intended for sports and outdoor activities.

This therefore includes items for cycling and mobility, racket sports, team sports, water sports, outdoor sports, fitness, horse riding, etc.

The following are excluded from the sector: electrical and electronic products (electric bicycles), textiles not specifically designed for sports, firearms, toys, professional equipment and boats longer than 2.5 m.

From 1 January 2023, certain distributors will be required to take back used ASLs from their customers

• Sales area between 200 and 400m² dedicated to ASLs: 1-for-1 take-back obligation

• Area > 400m² dedicated to ASLs: 1-for-0 take-back obligation with no purchase obligation

• Distance selling with turnover > €100K dedicated to ASLs: 1-for-1 take-back obligation
  

Sources : Articles L.541-10-8 & R-541-158 à R-541-164 du code de l'Environnement.

The scope of the EPR ABJ thermal or ‘thermal motorised machinery and equipment’ includes:

• Brush cutters, trimmers, vacuum cleaners/blowers, hedge trimmers, walk-behind and ride-on lawn mowers, chainsaws, rotary hoes, rotary tillers, thermal pumps, weeding equipment, log splitters, sprayers, augers, shredders and scarifiers...; with combustion engines;

• As well as consumables or ‘accessories’ (as defined above) with the exception of machines and equipment designed for exclusive use by professionals.
  

Products used exclusively by professionals, tractors, quads and SSV-type utility vehicles, and spare parts are excluded from the sector.