The production of electrical and electronic equipment, is one of the fastest growing domains of manufacturing industry in the Western world. Therefore the resulting rapid growth of waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is of concern.

The hazardous content of these equipment can also be problematic when these products become waste. Without separate collection and pre-treatment, they end up in municipal waste landfills where appropriate measures for preventing the hazardous substances from entering into the environment are missing.

As a response to these concerns, two European directives were adopted in 2002: Directive 2002/96/EC on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Directive 2002/95/EC on the Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (ROHS).

The WEEE Directive (2002/96/EC): promoting prevention, reuse and recycling

The WEEE directive aims to encourage the eco-design of electrical and electronic equipment to facilitate dismantling, reuse and recycling of WEEE. Article 8.2 of the directive establishes individual producer responsibility. This means that, for products put on the market after the 13th of August 2005, each producer shall be responsible for financing the collection, treatment, recovery and environmentally sound disposal of its own product.

The WEEE directive aims to encourage separate collection by setting quantitative targets. By 31 December 2006 at the latest, EU countries should have achieved a rate of separate collection of at least 4 kg on average per inhabitant per year of waste electrical and electronic equipment from private households. A new mandatory target should be set by December 2008.

The WEEE directive also promotes reuse and recycling by establishing recovery, reuse and recycling targets.

EEB's activities:

The WEEE directive and particularly provisions on individual producer responsibility have not been transposed in the national legislation of all EU countries (See study on Lost in transposition?). The EEB together with an alliance of NGOs and Industry is calling for the proper implementation of Individual Producer Responsibility (See Joint Statement and Individual Producer Responsibility Works web site).

The WEEE directive is currently under review (see European Commission's web site). As part of this review several key aspects of the directive such as the revision of targets, the scope, the operation of the producer responsibility principle will be addressed.

The RoHS Directive (2002/95/EC): reducing the hazardous content of WEEE

The RoHS directive provides that, from the 1st of July 2006, lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in electrical and electronic equipment must be replaced by other substances. A tolerance level of 0.1% for lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and a tolerance level of 0.01% for cadmium is provided. In addition, certain uses specified in the Annex to the Directive are tolerated. These exemptions are reviewed regularly under the process of adaptation to scientific and technical progress.

EEB's activities:

The RoHS directive is currently under review (see European Commission's web site). The EEB is actively collaborating with other NGOs to participate in the review process.