According to the Jornal de Negócios, returning appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and televisions could entitle customers to discounts of €20 to €35 on the purchase of new appliances. The government aims to increase the collection and recycling of electrical and electronic waste.

The same publication reports that the measure is included in a decree published in the Official Gazette of the Union and establishes rules for the new system of direct economic incentives for the recovery of waste electrical and electronic equipment (REEE).

For now, it is known that in the first two years of the program, funding will be provided by the Environmental Fund; however, the amount allocated for this support has not been specified.

Discount application

According to the published decree, the incentive is provided as a direct discount to the individual consumer when purchasing new equipment in the same category as the equipment delivered for recycling. The values vary by appliance: €25 for refrigerators and freezers, €35 for air conditioners, and €20 for televisions. To benefit from the discount, the ordinance requires that the old appliances maintain "their structural integrity and identifiability".

The discount may be applied at the time of purchase of the new appliance, if the old appliance is also delivered at the same time, or at a later delivery within a maximum period of five days. In these cases, the refund is made through the same payment method as the new equipment.

Experts opinion

In a statement sent to The Portugal News, Ricardo Neto, President of ERP Portugal, states that “the direct economic incentive system (SIED) for the recovery of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (REEE) focuses on the main hazardous categories of this waste, and could be positive for increasing collection and, consequently, for meeting the European targets to which the country is bound. We are convinced that, generally, the larger the WEEE collection circuit, the better the fight against the parallel market will be.”

In the executive's opinion, "the approach to implementation is correct, that is, it is covered by an initial period of 24 months financed by the Environmental Fund, subject to a technical and performance assessment by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) and the Directorate-General for Economy (DGE), based on reports prepared by REEE Management Entities, such as ERP Portugal, and this assessment may lead to possible adjustments to the system. In short, it is not a closed system, but a dynamic one, and its future will essentially depend on the results obtained."

However, Ricardo Neto underlines the importance of monitoring and policing REEE diversions, considering that "they have been manifestly scarce on the ground." According to the President of ERP Portugal, “the newly published decree should have gone further, insofar as it should have mandated ‘piece-by-piece traceability’ to prevent deviations. In other words, if incentives are to be provided by the Environmental Fund to those who deliver waste, there must be a guarantee that all waste reaches its proper final destination. This can only be achieved if the location of the equipment delivered under the program is known at all times.”