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7.3 Sample, Data, and Variables
We carry out the analysis for a sample of European Union Member State and
European Economic Area (EEA) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
countries. The information on inputs and outputs comes from the Eurostat, which is
the statistical office of the European Union. Specifically, we use data on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) that includes information about the compliance of countries with the minimum quantitative targets applicable for reuse,
recycling, and recovery of WEEE, after proper treatment. It was collected on the
basis of Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4
July 2012. This data has been published annually since 2005; however, until the
reference year 2013, some countries, such as Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic,
Malta, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, presented data with anomalies or
changes in methodologies to measure some particular categories. As a consequence,
data before that year was not comparable for all countries.
Our input measure represents the tons of WEEE which has been collected and
properly treated by each country (X 1 ). As for the output variables, we have chosen
two different measures, namely, the tons of WEEE recovered (Y 1 ) and the tons of
WEEE reused or recycled (Y 2 ). Moreover, we differentiate four different groups of
WEEE, defined according to the categories listed in the Directive 2012/19/EU. It
sets out specific minimum recovery targets for four different categories of WEEE
for the period from 13 August 2012 until 14 August 2015 (see Table 7.1 for further
details). Specifically, the groups are defined as follows:
Category A contains (i) large household appliances and (ii) automatic dispensers.
Category B contains (i) IT and telecommunications equipment, and (ii) consumer
equipment and photovoltaic panels.
Category C contains (i) small household appliances, (ii) lighting equipment (with
the exception of gas discharge lamps), (iii) electrical and electronic tools, (iv)
toys, (v) leisure and sports equipment, and (vi) medical devices and monitoring
and control instruments.
Category D contains (i) gas discharge lamps.
Table 7.2 shows the descriptive statistics for inputs and outputs in each WEEE
category and the aggregated WEEE values for the year 2014.
7.4 Results
We estimate efficiency scores for 30 European countries for the year 2014 obtained
by applying the nonparametric efficiency approach previously described. Table 7.3
reports efficiency results for the four different categories of WEEE and the total
aggregated values of WEEE for each country under analysis. It also shows the
trimmed mean for each category, a robust statistical measure of central tendency
I. Narbón-Perpiñá and D. Prior
7.3 Sample, Data, and Variables
We carry out the analysis for a sample of European Union Member State and
European Economic Area (EEA) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
countries. The information on inputs and outputs comes from the Eurostat, which is
the statistical office of the European Union. Specifically, we use data on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) that includes information about the compliance of countries with the minimum quantitative targets applicable for reuse,
recycling, and recovery of WEEE, after proper treatment. It was collected on the
basis of Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4
July 2012. This data has been published annually since 2005; however, until the
reference year 2013, some countries, such as Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic,
Malta, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, presented data with anomalies or
changes in methodologies to measure some particular categories. As a consequence,
data before that year was not comparable for all countries.
Our input measure represents the tons of WEEE which has been collected and
properly treated by each country (X 1 ). As for the output variables, we have chosen
two different measures, namely, the tons of WEEE recovered (Y 1 ) and the tons of
WEEE reused or recycled (Y 2 ). Moreover, we differentiate four different groups of
WEEE, defined according to the categories listed in the Directive 2012/19/EU. It
sets out specific minimum recovery targets for four different categories of WEEE
for the period from 13 August 2012 until 14 August 2015 (see Table 7.1 for further
details). Specifically, the groups are defined as follows:
Category A contains (i) large household appliances and (ii) automatic dispensers.
Category B contains (i) IT and telecommunications equipment, and (ii) consumer
equipment and photovoltaic panels.
Category C contains (i) small household appliances, (ii) lighting equipment (with
the exception of gas discharge lamps), (iii) electrical and electronic tools, (iv)
toys, (v) leisure and sports equipment, and (vi) medical devices and monitoring
and control instruments.
Category D contains (i) gas discharge lamps.
Table 7.2 shows the descriptive statistics for inputs and outputs in each WEEE
category and the aggregated WEEE values for the year 2014.
7.4 Results
We estimate efficiency scores for 30 European countries for the year 2014 obtained
by applying the nonparametric efficiency approach previously described. Table 7.3
reports efficiency results for the four different categories of WEEE and the total
aggregated values of WEEE for each country under analysis. It also shows the
trimmed mean for each category, a robust statistical measure of central tendency
I. Narbón-Perpiñá and D. Prior