A WEEE bit late
07 March 2006
The DTI has delayed the implementation of Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) beyond its June 2006 deadline. A new deadline has not yet been set.
WEEE is an important piece of legislation because it places legal responsibility on manufacturers (instead of sellers) to recycle products that are returned to them at the end of their life. The directive's aim is to conserve landfill and support more sustainability by providing an impetus to boost recycling.
The directive does not apply to new products only; producers will be responsible collectively for goods already on the market.
Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks says a major review of the WEEE legislation will consider the details of retailer take-back services and the development of a network of collection facilities where customers can take their WEEE-affected products. Mr Wicks said the government had listened to the concerns of business and other stakeholders over the implemented process and had decided more time is needed to get the implementation right.
Those arguing for more time say concerns over the scale and cost burden centre around the fact that pressure will be placed on local authorities required to dispose of WEEE materials collected separately from other refuge. The DTI has said it will meet costs to local authorities for arranging the treatment required for TVs and PC monitors containing cathode ray tubes and fluorescent lamps that must be collected separately and sent to a hazardous waste landfill. The new review will, however, reconsider this area of responsibility.
It is said the delay is an opportunity for stakeholders, including businesses, regulators, retailers, local authorities and social enterprises to familiarise themselves further with issues surrounding the planning and financing of the directive.
But not everybody is pleased with the delay. The European Commission, which had originally passed WEEE, said last year it would take legal action against several EU countries that have yet to make WEEE law. Then there are those businesses that took a proactive approach to meeting the January 2006 deadline, and are now, in their opinion, being punished.
They fear market dislocation reminiscent of the Fridge Mountain fiasco in 2002 where the government was slow to recognise the implications of timeously adopting EU legislation for local authorities and businesses. The Furniture Re-use Network, for instance, claimed each additional month of delay in the WEEE implementation would require nearly $1 million in expenses from recycling groups.
Furthermore, prolonged delay may also mean existing investments into equipment and systems will not see a quick payback and may undermine the financial sustainability of some companies, at least in the short term.
In a warning shot about how seriously it regards the new legislation, the EU has prosecuted Boots Retail (Ireland) for offences under WEEE regulations. Boots pleaded guilty to charges brought by the Environmental Protection Agency in relation to offences under the WEEE Regulations 2005, at a case heard at Wexford District Court. The Court imposed a E1200 fine, while costs of E6865 were awarded to the EPA. Boots, the first company in Ireland and the EU to be prosecuted for offences under WEEE, admitted failing to keep a specified notice in their shops alerting customers to the fact that prices include a contribution to a producer recycling fund to ensure old electrical and electronic equipment is collected and recycled responsibly.
Meanwhile, the RoHS Directive, which has been running alongside the WEEE Directive, will, according to NetRegs, still be implemented on schedule on 1 July.
Among other avenues of assistance offered to businesses, NetRegs has set up a website in which the UK's environmental regulators are trying to help small businesses understand their environmental obligations. A registration tool has been launched by NetRegs to allow businesses to register free for e-alerts on changes to environmental legislation affecting their business and guidance on what action to take to ensure they comply.
Contact Details and Archive...
Related Articles...
Most Viewed Articles...