Legislative approaches to the management of polymer waste from electronic equipment: International and national dimension

The relevance of the study is determined by the rapid growth of waste electrical and electronic equipment worldwide, which is projected to exceed 74 million tons by 2030, and the particular complexity of recycling the polymer fraction containing hazardous flame retardant additives. The aim of this work was to conduct a comprehensive analysis of legislative approaches to the management of polymer waste from electronic equipment at the international and national levels and the development of practical recommendations for their implementation in Ukraine. The methodological basis of the study was a combination of comparative legal and systemic-structural analyses, which made it possible to compare legislative approaches of six countries and regions. It has been established that the principle of extended producer responsibility is the dominant regulatory model in the world, successfully implemented in the EU, USA, China, Australia, and Brazil. The contradiction between the goals of polymer recycling and restrictions on the content of hazardous substances, in particular brominated flame retardants, in EU legislation has been analysed. It was found that only 0.4 out of 2.6 million tons of polymers from e-waste generated annually in Europe are sent for recycling. Practical recommendations have been developed for the implementation of Draft Law No. 2350 in Ukraine, taking into account the experience of other countries. The results of the study can be used by government authorities in the formation of national e-waste management policy, as well as by scientists for further research in the field of environmental law and circular economy. Furthermore, the main regulatory barriers to effective polymer fraction recycling have been identified, related to legislative restrictions on hazardous additive content in secondary raw materials and the absence of specific regulations for polymer materials in most national legislations. The practical value of the study lies in the potential use of the formulated recommendations by government authorities in developing secondary legislation for Draft Law No. 2557-ІХ and by enterprises in organising e-waste collection and recycling systems