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Pascal Leroy has been the Director General of the WEEE Forum since 2007, where he oversees the association’s general management. With over twenty years of experience in e-waste programmes and policies, Pascal has significantly contributed to the field of electronic waste management. He previously worked at APPLiA, the European Parliament, and Hill and Knowlton. Pascal led the WEEE Forum’s WEEELABEX project, creating the first harmonised e-waste standards. He has also represented the WEEE Forum in multiple EU grant-funded projects researching EPR, circularity, Digital Product Passports, availability of secondary raw materials, the urban mine, and critical raw materials.

Q1: Pascal, you have been involved in many EU-funded initiatives, from secondary raw materials in the urban mine, to circular services, business models and certification schemes for waste treatment. What motivated you to join the SOLMATE project as member of the External Advisory Board and how do you see your role contributing to the project’s objectives, especially in the context of responsible management and innovation in future management of photovoltaic (PV) systems?

R: The end-of-use photovoltaics stream is emerging, and so are the technologies for treatment of photovoltaics. It is also important to ascertain that the funds will be available at end-of-life for treatment. The sector should be future-oriented. Understanding what ‘responsible management of photovoltaics’ means is key.

Q2: With the increasing interest in recycling opportunities and the social economy aspects of PVs and batteries, how do you envision the future of reuse and recycling in these areas, and what role do you think the WEEE Forum will play in this evolution?

R: The principle of EPR needs to be moulded to the principle of circularity. Legislation should not just be about collecting as much WEEE as possible; it should be geared towards preparing the sector for circularity. And EPR doesn’t stand for Exclusive Producer Responsibility but Extended Producer Responsibility; all actors must play a role in the collective management of WEEE.