RENAS – serving the environment for 10 years
In 1999 RENAS was established as a non-profit company, administrating a nation-wide system for collecting and environmentally sound end-treatment of disposed EE-waste. Importers and producers of electric and electronical equipment sign up as RENAS members to adhere to national legislations on scrapped electric and electronic products. Photo: RENAS
RENAS, an environmental organization unique to Norway, celebrated its 10th anniversary on March 13. The organization is probably as little known inside Norway as it is abroad. Crown Prince Haakon was present at the anniversary celebration in Oslo on Wednesday.
Today 2200 Norwegian companies are members of RENAS, which was founded by Elektroforeningen, a professional body for Norwegian electro manufacturers, agents and wholesalers, and Norsk Industri, an association of electro-manufacturers. It is owned jointly by these two trade organizations. The electro business in Norway has an agreement with the Norwegian Ministry of Environment to gather and process 80% of total amount of EE waste generated each year.
Electric and electronic products – so-called EE products – often contain large quantities of toxins which can damage our health and the environment. Therefore, in Norway all importers and producers of EE products are obliged to take responsibility for their products until they have been scrapped and recycled. RENAS fulfils these obligations on behalf of its members.
Members pay a recycling-fee for new products brought into the Norwegian market. This finances the system of collecting such discarded products for final treatment. On behalf of its members, RENAS sends annually reports on the quantity of returned and treated EE-waste to the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority.
Municipal, inter-municipal and private waste companies across the country cooperate in a nationwide system for collecting disposed EE waste for safe scrapping and recycling. These companies run depots where EE waste from companies and individuals is received free of charge. They will also make sure the waste reaches a specialist treatment plant. The system comprises 160 authorized collection-points and 15 treatment plants, spread across the country.
Source: Norway Post / Renas.no
