"The much-delayed Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive that makes producers and importers of electronic goods responsible for recycling their products finally come into full force in the UK on 1 July.""Manufacturers, importers and retailers of electronic and electrical goods are obliged to put systems in place that allow customers to recycle their obsolete devices free of charge.
Manufacturers and importers in the UK have to join one of 37 authorised "producer compliance schemes".
These schemes, funded by manufacturers, are responsible for ensuring the correct collection, recovery and disposal of the e-waste. The schemes have to report to the Environment Agency, which will make sure the directive's measures are enforced.
Retailers must either offer a free in-store "take-back" service on a like-for-like basis, eg. take a customer's old TV when they buy a new one, or help fund improvements to local councils' recycling facilities.
Households are under no obligation to recycle their e-waste as far as the WEEE Directive is concerned. However, they will "discouraged" from throwing away items that contain potentially harmful substances.
Instead, they will be encouraged to use the recycling facilities being offered to them through the various schemes.
To help people identify electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), products that have been on the market since August 2005 will be marked with a crossed-out wheelie bin."
Read Full article on the BBC Site
No comments:
Post a Comment