A relatively recent innovation in environmental regulation, which often originates from European Directives, is known as the WEEE producer responsibility law. Through producer responsibility WEEE regulations, businesses are being made accountable for more of the true environmental cost of their products throughout their life cycle.
This approach to a company’s environmental responsibility is being introduced in specific product areas, such as packaging and electrical and electronic equipment – known as WEEE regulations. The WEEE Directive makes producers of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) financially responsible for the recovery and recycling of the equipment at the end of life. It is hoped that the impact of electrical and electronic goods on the environment can be reduced by increasing re-use and recycling and reducing the amount of waste going to landfill.
The WEEE directive came into force on 2 January 2007 and obviously WEEE compliance has implications for EEF members in the manufacturing, engineering and technology sectors.