Directive 2002/96/EC lead to make the WEEE valorization imperative. It initiates the principle of producer responsibility. It defines WEEE as “equipment which is dependent on electric currents or electromagnetic fields, as well as equipment for production, transfer and measurement of such currents and fields, designed for use with a voltage not exceeding 1000 volts AC and 1500 volts DC " in categories specified by decree.

It classifies the devices involved (Directive 2002/96/EC) in 10 categories:

• Category 1 : Big electrical goods ;
• Category 2 : Small electrical goods ;
• Category 3 : Computing and telecommunications equipment ;
• Category 4 : Consumer equipment ;
• Category 5 : Lighting equipment (except for domestic lighting and incandescent lamps, which nevertheless apply Articles 4 and 5 of Decree No. 2005-829 of 20 July 2005) ;
• Category 6 : Electrical and electronic tools (except large stationary industrial tools)
• Category 7 : Toys, leisure and sports ;
• Category 8 : Medical devices (except all implanted and infected products) ;
• Category 9 : Surveillance and control instruments ;
• Category 10 : Automatic teller machines ;

Due to issues of defense, military equipment is not affected by the Directive 2002/96/EC.

European WEEE Directive of e-waste management was introduced in October 2005. Switzerland does not set it, but his own directive, the oldest (1998), called ORDEE (The Swiss Ordinance On The Return, Take-back and Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Appliances). It also has an e-Waste Program to develop the electronics recycling in developing countries.

• The new WEEE industry (formalized in 2007) had in November 2009 of 16000 collection points, with an estimated weight of gathering in late 2008 to 4.5 kg per person per year. In late 2009, 3,800 farmers had joined one of four eco-recognized organizations for the management of household WEEE (Ecologic, Eco-systems, or ERP Recylum). More than 18 600 collection points have been opened by the distributors and 3400 by local authorities. The first European goal was 4 kg / capita / year. It is reached by 2009 and even exceeded 5.7 kilograms harvested per capita is 371 000 t in 2009 (target: 10 kg / per capita 2014).
• In the nomenclature of waste, from 2002, the WEEE code always starts with 16 02 or 20 01.

Unlike the public sector, the vocational stream is not centralized around 4 eco-recognized organizations. A company may use any certified provider. From 1 July 2010, electrical and electronic building professional waste (street lighting, security and other luminaries, alarm systems, thermostats, programmers, security systems, fire, etc.. recovered in large quantities during renovation projects or deconstruction) will be recycled through a new pooled pipeline entrusted to eco-organism Recylum.