Are businesses still confused about the WEEE Regulations?

With just six months to go before businesses become responsible for disposing of electrical waste, the Forum of Private Business (FPB) has expressed concern that there is still confusion over who is responsible for what and how the system will work.

The provisions of the EU’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive were enacted into UK law on 2 January 2007.

Under the Regulations producers - manufacturers, importers and resellers - are to be made directly responsible for financing the costs of the collection, treatment, recycling and recovery of the WEEE they generate. Take-back obligations will also be imposed on retailers.

The Regulations will also introduce new responsibilities for businesses disposing of waste electrical and electronic equipment. They will need to ensure that all separately collected WEEE is treated, recycled and recovered.

Producers have until 1 July 2007 to prepare before full producer obligations start.

The implementation of the Directive was repeatedly delayed by the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) due to problems publishing draft regulations and guidance notes, and confusion amongst business over how the legislation would be implemented.

The FPB is concerned that this confusion still exists, especially as the DTI has yet to publish its guidelines to accompany the Regulations.

Philip Moody, Senior Member Services Representative at the FPB, says the Regulations - despite their good intentions - leave many questions unanswered.

“The aim is to minimise the impact of electrical and electronic goods on the environment, increasing recycling and reducing the amount of WEEE going to landfill. But there is still a lot of confusion over how the system will work.

“Firms which deal in electrical goods are still unsure whether they, the manufacturer, the local council or someone else is going to be taking responsibility. They haven’t been briefed properly by the DTI.” he added.

The WEEE Regulations apply to EEE that falls within the ten product categories listed in the European Commission’s WEEE Directive:

• Large household appliances.
• Small household appliances.
• IT & telecommunications equipment.
• Consumer equipment.
• Lighting equipment.
• Electrical and electronic tools.
• Toys, leisure and sports equipment.
• Medical devices.
• Monitoring and control instruments.
• Automatic dispensers.

There are also a number of actions that producers should be taking before 1 July. For example producers must have registered with producer compliance schemes by 15 March 2007. The Environment Agency is still approving those schemes; a list of 27 has been published.

Despite the fact it has not published its official guidance the DTI is holding WEEE Regional Roadshows in a number of locations around the country. More information can be found on the DTI’s website: www.dti.gov.uk.