Overview
Environmental pollution, particularly in land fills, from discarded electronic equipment
(e-waste) or "waste electrical and electronic equipment" (WEEE), has been an increasing concern
worldwide. Pollution occurs due to leakage of hazardous materials contained in the discarded
equipment. The European Union has passed two related regulations to improve e-waste management and
to limit the presence of hazardous materials in the waste.
- One is the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive 2002/95/EC. This limits the
presence of six hazardous materials in electrical and electronic equipment.
- The other is the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive 2002/96/EC. The
WEEE directive aims at minimization of the impact of e-waste on the environment, by increasing
re-use and recycling and reducing the amount of WEEE going to landfills.
All EU members have incorporated both the RoHS and the WEEE directives into their government
legislations.
The WEEE Directive is based on article 175 of the European Commission (EC) Treaty which
established the European Union. This directive makes producers responsible for financing the
collection, treatment, and recovery of waste electrical and electronic equipment. It also seeks to
oblige distributors to allow consumers to return their waste equipment free of charge. This
provision is based on the precept that the polluter should pay and applies irrespective of the
selling technique, including distance selling.
Another aspect is the encouragement of product designs that facilitate dismantling and recovery.
Producers are also required to provide reuse and treatment information on their products. This is
to facilitate the reuse of components and to ensure the correct and environmentally sound treatment
of WEEE, including maintenance, upgrade, refurbishment and recycling.
Further Information
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/docum/00347_en.htm
http://www.icer.org.uk/
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