The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restrictions on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directives, introduced in 2005 by the European Union, affects companies selling a broad range of electrical goods in Europe.
"Directives 2002/95/EC on the restriction of the use of
certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic
equipment and 2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic
equipment are designed to tackle the fast increasing waste stream
of electrical and electronic equipment and complements European
Union measures on landfill and incineration of waste. Increased
recycling of electrical and electronic equipment will limit the
total quantity of waste going to final disposal. Producers will
be responsible for taking back and recycling electrical and
electronic equipment. This will provide incentives to design
electrical and electronic equipment in an environmentally more
efficient way, which takes waste management aspects fully into
account."
(Source - Europa the portal site of the European
Union http://europa.eu)
For information on the implementation of WEEE/RoHS in the United Kingdom, please visit our Updates page.
For further information please contact:
Department of Trade and Industry – www.dti.gov.uk
Eco-design and Product Policy Unit
Sustainable Development Directorate
151 Buckingham Palace Road
London SW1W 9SS
Tel +44 (0) 20 7215 1036
Fax +44 (0) 20 7215 5835
E-mail: sustainability@dti.gov.uk
Or contact:
John Coronado, Commercial Attaché
Email: John.Coronado@mail.doc.gov
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7894 0419
LINKS:
DTI WEEE Regulations - Latest UK Government
Guidance Notes
The European Commission's WEEE/RoHS Directive
pages
The European Commission's WEEE/RoHS FAQ
Information Sheet
The US Commercial Service European Union office's
WEEE/RoHS pages