New regulations on electrical waste

The European Parliament is discussing proposals to make manufacturers, rather than consumers (for example, businesses), pay for the disposal of electrical and electronic waste.

The Directive on Waste Electronic or Electrical Equipment (WEEE) will place the responsibility for waste disposal firmly with the producers, and will require high levels of recycling and recovery. Producers will have to offer to take back electric and electronic equipment free of charge from business users and dispose of the waste at special treatment facilities. Local authorities will have some responsibility to deal with domestic electrical and electronic waste.

The proposals cover equipment including:

- IT and telecommunications equipment;

- lighting equipment;

- electric and electronic tools;

- medical equipment systems;

- monitoring and control equipment; and

- automatic dispensers.

The proposals were expected to be agreed in 1999 (see Facilities Management Legal Update Vol.2 Iss.12), but have have suffered a series of delays.
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