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News Release from: TUV Rheinland UK | Subject: WEEE directive
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 22 August 2005
WEEE directive status information
The European Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) directive was to come into effect on August 13, 2005 in all EU Member States, but in some Countries, implementation has been delayed
The European Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) directive was to come into effect on August 13, 2005 in all EU Member States, but in some Countries, implementation has been delayed In the UK, the DTI announced a 6-month delay, while in Ireland; implementation has proceeded according to plan
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 6 Aug 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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The Directive applies to 10 categories of electrical and electronic equipment such as household appliances, consumer, lighting, IT and telecommunications equipment, electrical and electronic tools, leisure equipment, and medical devices - and is based on the concept of "Producer responsibility".
This concept requires producers to take responsibility for the total lifecycle of their products, and emerged in Europe during the 80s before spreading internationally.
It has also inspired other directives, such as End of Life Vehicles (ELV), and Restrictions On Hazardous Substances (ROHS).
The aim of the WEEE directive is to conserve resources and to reduce pollution caused by electrical and electronic waste.
In the UK alone, 1 Million Tonnes of WEEE is disposed of in landfills each year, with 85% of the total weight consisting of IT and household appliances.
WEEE is growing at approx 3% per year, much faster than regular waste, driven by the increasing global demand for new appliances and IT equipment, with ensuing shorter life cycles.
The costs of replacing scarce resources must also be considered, with the amount of energy required to extract copper being 6 times the energy required to recycle the same material.
The Directive requires producers to meet the financial costs of collecting and recycling WEEE, and encourages them to re-design their products for ease of recycling, and re-use.
WEEE will be separated from other waste streams, with specific targets for recycling in place, and clear responsibilities set out for all stakeholders.
Initially, while the costs of affected products may increase, with re-design for easy disassembly and recycling, and good supply chain management, the price increases if any should be negligible.
TUV Rheinland Group has been involved in product assessment for over 130 years and will be pleased to advise and provide you with further information regarding applicable legislation and product standards.
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