Waste　electrical　and　electronic　equipment　(WEEE)　has　become　a　key　application　area　for　extended　producer　responsibility　(EPR).　This　article　systematically　analyzes　the　physical　and　financial　operating　mechanisms　of　the　EPR　systems　in　Japan,　Germany,　Switzerland,　and　China,　in　addition　to　the　responsibilities　borne　by　the　various　stakeholders　in　the　life　cycle　chain.　Japan　built　a　coupon　system　for　household　appliance　recycling　in　which　the　consumers　pay　a　fund　after　scrapping　products.　Germany　built　an　operating　model　in　which　a　fund　is　jointly　managed　by　the　national　electronic　equipment　registry　and　the　public　waste　management　agencies.　In　Switzerland,　a　recovery　fee　accompanies　the　product　invoice　through　various　levels　of　resellers　successively　and　is　ultimately　paid　by　the　consumer.　In　China,　the　government　occupies　a　leading　position　in　putting　EPR　into　practice.　We　compare　the　EPR　operating　mechanisms　of　the　above　four　countries　in　terms　of　the　time　to　pay　fund,　the　fund　payer,　the　object　of　fund　subsidies,　the　fund　operation　agent.　The　differences　and　the　pros　and　cons　of　them　are　analyzed.　The　result　shows　that　although　the　operation　mechanism　of　EPR　system　varies　greatly　in　different　countries,　there　are　some　common　problems　in　promoting　product　eco-design,　WEEE　cascade　usage　and　information　value　utilization.　This　article　then　looks　ahead　to　the　development　directions　of　the　EPR　system　in　the　field　of　WEEE　recovery　and　utilization:　(1)　The　coupling　relationship　between　the　EPR　fund　and　other　policy　tools,　such　as　promoting　eco-design　of　products　by　production　enterprises,　should　be　investigated.　(2)　The　secondhand　market　and　remanufacturing　enterprises　should　be　brought　into　the　EPR　system　to　stimulate　the　formation　of　a　cascaded　cycle　system　of　WEEE　utilization.　(3)　The　value　of　information　on　new　product　demands　contained　in　WEEE　should　be　exploited　to　build　up　a　new　business　model　with　a　positive　supply　chain　for　product　manufacturing　and　consumption　that　closely　corresponds　to　a　reverse　supply　chain　for　WEEE　recovery　and　utilization　to　accelerate　the　formation　of　voluntary　producer　responsibility.