FLORENCE - Launch of the project to recover raw materials from old smartphones and TV. Tuscany was awarded, together with Seville, 1.8 million on the European Life Weee (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) tender to raise awareness on the correct disposal of electrical and IT equipment.
The project brings together ANCI Toscana, the Florence Chamber of Commerce, the Tuscany Region, the University of Florence, Ecocerved and the Chamber of Commerce of Seville.
"This project funded under the LIFE program - explained the regional environment councilor Federica Fratoni - intends to contribute to the increase in the separate collection of WEEE in Tuscany through the adoption of a new governance model based on the widespread involvement of SMEs and retailers together with the Municipalities, and on activities to raise awareness among the citizens.The occasion is precious, because it once again highlights one point: the path of sustainability is the only possible way for a development found after an economic crisis that continues to be felt in our territories, and the circularity is part of this new model with repercussions that will be certain also on the economic occupational level.There is a work to do, all together, but also supported by the positive trend recorded by the collection of WEEE that grows every year in Tuscany, we are sure that we will be able to reach our goals in building a virtuous path " .
According to a survey by the Florence Chamber of Commerce, less than one in two Tuscan companies correctly dispose of old IT or electrical equipment and only a quarter of companies that could pick up smartphones, tablets, computers, TVs, neon, small and large appliances consumers actually do it, in most cases the disposal procedure is wrong.
It is to overturn these numbers that Florence, together with Seville, aims to raise awareness among businesses and citizens of Tuscany and Andalusia on the withdrawal and proper disposal of these "new" potentially polluting waste, but which also have easily recyclable raw materials. The project brings together ANCI Toscana, the Florence Chamber of Commerce, the Tuscany Region, the University of Florence, Ecocerved and the Chamber of Commerce of Seville.
"It is the first time that Florence is rewarded with the victory of a European tender for this entity to help citizens and businesses to move towards an economy that is increasingly efficient and compatible with the environment - said the president of the Chamber of Commerce of Florence, Leonardo Bassilichi - In addition, the project is part of a process of sensitization towards a new production model that aims to replace waste with recycling and will also challenge all those entrepreneurs who want to give a concrete and challenging meaning to the word innovate , today so fashionable but which risks having few concrete contents inside ".
"ANCI Toscana is strongly committed to this project, which is the leader: the Municipalities want to play their part in raising awareness among companies, citizens and administrators for the correct disposal of electrical and electronic waste. , Life Weee has been listed as one of the most interesting projects at European level, now the work moves 'on the field', with the same shared commitment for the defense of the environment and the development of the territory ", said the president of ANCI Tuscany, Matteo Biffoni.
According to the survey conducted by the Chamber of Commerce of Florence, 73.7% of companies do not know the rules on the disposal of old electrical and electronic products (WEEE), only 53.5% dispose of these appliances in the appropriate collection centers and just 26.3% accept the material used by citizens, yet for over 10 thousand businesses in Tuscany (for example, large stores) it would be a requirement to withdraw obsolete devices even without being bought a new product. Furthermore, the documents used to take them to disposal are wrong in 82.3% of cases. On the other hand, companies are willing to change these behaviors especially to protect the environment (67.5%) and recover costs (48.2%), while this good practice is not yet used as a business marketing activity (7 , 8%).
In Tuscany, the European project Life Weee, in the next three years, aims to extend the collection points to at least 5 thousand shops and public offices (now there are 230), raise awareness of institutions and citizens, including through training seminars, advertising campaigns and an app that will geolocate all municipal and private collection centers. The "Collect me" game was designed for the students. The project will also help the emergence of startups that will favor this process