WEEE Directive

Directives on WEEE and the Restriction of Use of Certain Hazardous Substances (ROHS) will require UK companies to recycle waste electrical/electronic equipment and remove certain hazardous substances. The directives affect those involved in manufacturing, selling, distributing and recycling electrical and electronic equipment and much emphasis has already been placed on the Telecommunications industry due to the large number of unwanted mobile phones already in existence in the UK.

From Jan 2006, producers of such equipment will be responsible for financing at least the collection of WEEE equipment and meeting targets for re-use, recycling and recovery. This is relevant not just for new product but product already existing in the marketplace. There is a real emphasis on re-use as a means of recycling since this has the least environmental impact and offers affordable communications to developing countries where many of the handsets are exported.

For detailed information on the timetable for UK legislation and further information about the WEEE and RoHS directives, visit the the DTI site at www.dti.gov.uk/sustainability/weee/index.htm, and the Industry Council for Electronics Equipment Recycling at www.icer.org.uk