a) Collection points where equipment is traded (purchase and sale at the location) and where equipment suitable for ex-port are packed either on location or at another location into sea con-tainers and vehicles (the operator of the collection point and the ex-porter are not necessarily the same individual; it is also possible for example that the operator of the collection point acts as an agent from whom the exporters purchase).
Billstraße in Hamburg for example is a well-known agglomeration of such points. Here around 20 com-panies trade in electrical equip-ment. Most are import and export companies whose covered wahouses contain often new and re-turned goods in their original packaging. Some of the compa-nies trade exclusively in used equipment in a poor condition.
Two site inspections took place and traders were interviewed. Ba-sically, as expected, they did not want to talk openly about the is-sue. Nevertheless, it was possible to ascertain that most traders seemingly sell a mixture of used equipment and new and returned goods. In some cases, they spe-cialised in particular types of equipment. One trader stated for example that he only exported electronic tools from traders.
There is also specialisation with regard to destination countries;
this is due among other things to the operators of the collection points or the exporters hav-ing contacts in these countries. They often have contacts in the countries of destination be-cause they come from there or have relatives there. As well as countries in Africa and Asia,
Figure 25a to d: Collection points (trade)
countries in Eastern Europe (Poland, Ukraine and Russia) were also stated as countries of destination. The exporters dynamically adapt their choice of countries of destination though to market conditions84.
Some traders traded mainly in returns which originate from a particular technology market and German technology company. It was stressed in interviews that returns are not as popular as they once were as often only around 20 % of the appliances still work.
In some cases, minor repairs are made at the sites.
Of the equipment which appeared to be as good as new, in particular televisions, DVD players/records, compact music systems and occasionally white goods were seen. The ap-pliances which had clearly already been used mainly involved ovens, refrigerators, televi-sions and monitors.
b) Collection points where there are containers in which the equipment is consolidated for a longer period and then packed into sea containers which are located at the site for a limited period (e.g. collection in consolidated containers for several weeks or even months; the sea containers are packed in three days) (see the example in Figure 26).
Figure 26a to b: Collection points (no trade)
Large collection points of this kind hold around 50 consolidation containers, while smaller ones hold around 5 containers. When such collection points were visited at the end of 2008 and start of 2009, the contents of the consolidated containers and sea con-tainers were inspected among other things. There were used televisions and televisions
84 One trader stated that before Poland joined the EU a lot of goods were exported to Poland and then onto other countries in the former Soviet Union, and in particular to Russia, and that this trade has now shifted to West Africa.
which looked as good as new, compact systems, CD-radio decks and loudspeaker boxes, cookers and refrigerators in the sea containers which had just been filled85. c) Temporary stores in which normally larger batches of commercial equipment are stored
before export:
In view of the number of this type of temporary store, there is no basis upon which an assessment could be made.
The authorities in the cities in which collection points were visited (among others Hamburg and Bremen) monitor them with regard to the requirements for compliance with environmental stan-dards for commercial companies and the storage of such goods. There are no waste-related permit requirements. Occasionally (e.g. in Amsterdam) spot checks are carried out on the con-tents of containers with regard to export regulations (visual condition of the equipment for a first rough assessment of the waste characteristics, inspection of cooling equipment for CFCs, com-pliance with packaging regulations, loaded with materials with export restrictions).
Based on expert estimates, the number of such collection points in Germany can be estimated at several hundred to over a thousand.
Experience from export controls shows that at the collection points very often equipment of varying quality is mixed in containers. Often equipment which still works is mixed with faulty equipment and high-quality equipment. As a rough guide, it can be assumed that they are sepa-rated into three types of quality in the country of destination (“non-working and non-repairable” –
“source of replacement parts” – “useable equipment”) (even if the exporter pre-selects the ap-pliances in Germany).
The research has shown that a few large and many smaller exporters are active. The exporters who only export a small number of appliances are often so-called “waste tourists” who come to Germany, buy and load material for one or more containers and then receive the container again in the country of destination (in particular in West Africa) and sell on the contents.
5.2 Other parties involved
As well as the operators of collection points (and the exporters in those cases where they are not the same), a range of other parties are involved in the export of equipment. The chain after the collection points (or the other points from which equipment is exported) includes agents, forwarding agents, other service providers for logistics and formalities and shipping lines.
These other parties have hardly any influence on what is actually exported. Therefore, only a cursory description is provided here.
Agents often form the link between exporters and shipping lines. If required the agents also or-ganise the sea containers and the stowing of the equipment in the containers. The agents often have a very close relationship in terms of personnel or premises with the exporters.
According to the Hamburg police, exports to West Africa are normally handled by forwarding agents. It was estimated that there are around 10 forwarding agents handing significant
vol-85 There are also significant volumes of other products such as used tyres. Some containers were filled with only tyres.
umes. Exports to South East Asia on the other hand are normally handled directly by the ship-ping companies without the use of a forwarding agent [Hamburg police pers.com. March 2009].
There is in particular significant use of shipping lines to transport UEEE (as opposed to occa-sional transport). For the West Africa route, around 10 lines are significant. Exports to Asia are currently handled by primarily around 10 shipping lines. According to the exporters on both routes, mainly fully loaded containers are exported; the volume of containers where exporters stow their goods in containers of other exporters is less significant. As a result the containers are rarely stowed with equipment in the ports themselves (on the quayside) or at specialist con-tainer-loading companies, but in most cases at collection points.
Figure 27: Example of an Africa route The shipping lines stop at many ports in Africa or
Asia on their routes. By way of example, Figure 27 shows a route which starts in Poland (Stettin) and then stops at Hamburg, Antwerp, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast.
A close relationship in terms of organisation and personnel between exporters and shipping lines and specialisation in certain goods, for example the export of used cars (e.g. ships of the Grimaldi Lines) is not noticeable with the shipping of UEEE.
In the container business, the shipping line has less contact with the goods (although the shipping line receives information on the load via the ship-ping documents).
The shipping lines have more contact with the UEEE exported when the appliances are loaded into used cars. These cars are often welded shut to prevent theft during transport. Normally the owner of the appliances in the used cars is the owner of the car.