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What records should a producer keep for e-waste recovery and disposal? Direct answer

Keep the producer's product-scope, product-information, collection, and downstream-routing evidence, plus treatment-fund records only for periods before collection stopped on 1 January 2024. Separately verify that the treatment enterprise holds a qualification covering the actual work.

The three-year statutory record rule applies to the treatment enterprise's basic treatment data. The cited regulation does not set one universal retention period for a producer's supporting file.

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Sorena AI
Published
Jul 5, 2026
Updated
Jul 24, 2026
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Sorena AI
Published Jul 5, 2026
Updated Jul 24, 2026
Overview

Keep the 's product-scope, product-information, collection, and downstream-routing evidence. Keep records only for historical periods before fund collection stopped on 1 January 2024. Separately obtain evidence that the treatment enterprise holds a qualification covering the actual work. The three-year statutory record rule applies to the treatment enterprise's , not to every producer file.

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Question 1

Short answer

The Regulation expressly requires the treatment enterprise to operate a data-information management system, report and related information to the local municipal ecology and environment authority, and keep the basic data for at least three years. It does not impose that same three-year rule on every .

The binding duties are role-specific. A , or the consignee or agent for imported products, must meet the applicable product-design and product-information duties. From 15 August 2026, producers must also meet Environmental Code Article 978 by establishing and publicly disclosing the required recovery system, so the producer file should retain evidence of that system and disclosure. The Regulation still states the original framework, but official fund collection and the former subsidy for products newly treated stopped on 1 January 2024. Keep fund calculations, declarations, payments, and reconciliations only for the historical periods in which they applied. The Regulation does not prescribe one producer record template, but the producer should keep the catalogue assessment, approved product or instruction content, and design evidence needed to show how it met its current duties.

If the arranges collection, it should also keep enough contract and handoff evidence to show that recovered products went to an enterprise with the required . This is a practical evidence file, not a prescribed statutory form. Set its retention period from the applicable historical fund, tax, contract, accounting, product, and local regulatory requirements rather than assuming the operator's three-year minimum applies.

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Question 2

What to keep as evidence

Build the file around the decision each record proves. An invoice alone may show payment but not catalogue scope, the operator's authority to treat the product category, or the actual handoff and treatment route.

  • Scope: identify the product family and model, record whether it appears in the applicable national treatment catalogue, and keep the catalogue version used for the decision.
  • or importer duties: keep the approved product or instruction content showing hazardous-substance information and recovery or treatment instructions. For producers, retain evidence of the recovery system and public disclosure required from 15 August 2026 under Environmental Code Article 978. For periods before 1 January 2024, also keep the evidence used for any applicable calculation, declaration, payment, and reconciliation.
  • Roles and route: identify the , importer consignee or agent, seller, repairer, collector, transporter, and treatment enterprise involved. Record which party takes custody at each handoff.
  • Qualification check: keep a copy or official record of the certificate and match its legal person, facility address, product categories, equipment and operating parameters, capacity, and validity period to the planned work.
  • Contracts and handoffs: keep collection and treatment contracts, shipment or transfer records, quantities, dates, product categories, receiving-facility identity, and any treatment confirmation available under the contract.
  • Operator records: require the treatment enterprise to retain its and monitoring reports for at least three years. Use contract access or audit terms if the needs copies or verification, because those statutory records belong to the operator.
  • Reassessment: reopen the file when the catalogue or product specification changes, the product becomes waste through a new route, the collector or treatment enterprise changes, the certificate is amended or expires, the facility or treatment category changes, capacity rises, records conflict, or an authority identifies a deficiency.
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