News and New Products

DTI publishes WEEE recycling guide book online

By Richard Wilson -- Electronics Weekly, 2/28/2007

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has published its long-awaited advice on the implementation in the U.K. of the European WEEE directive, which tells companies how they must manage their electrical waste by supporting recycling of products.

The WEEE Guidance Notes, if you can call an 80 page document notes, can be found on the DTI Web site.

After years of delay and a plethora of government consultations, the WEEE (electrical and electronic waste) directive finally arrives in the U.K. on March 1. Yet despite the high profile recycling has acquired, there is concern that not enough has been done to educate the businesses that will be affected by this complex legislation.
 
"Industry remains confused as to exactly what is to be done, by whom and when. This is particularly the case with non-household or business-to-business [B2B] WEEE," said Vic Clements, a senior manager at Environ’s WEEE/RoHS/EuP and Eco-design group.

Producers of electrical and electronic equipment in England and Wales have until  March 15to join an approved WEEE compliance scheme.

“From  July 1, 2007, producers of electrical and electronic equipment will be responsible for paying for the treatment and recycling of products at the end of their life,” said Liz Parkes, head of waste at the Environment Agency. 

Electronics Weekly is the London-based sister publication of Electronic News, part of the EDN Network.