Background
The Directive covers various environmental aspects, such as energy efficiency, water consumption and noise emissions, which are to be taken into account in the design of energy using products. The products affected are those which have a significant environmental impact and a high volume of trade in the EU market.
This is one of the measures introduced under the EU’s ‘Integrated Product Policy’ and sets the standards for better product design, which companies both large and small will have to integrate.
In addition to the directive, there are several European Commission (EC) led studies scheduled to take place throughout 2007/2008. The resulting implementing measures could be ‘daughter’ Directives, regulations or EC decisions and may be applicable to your products.
What does this mean for your organisation?
The directive does not introduce immediately binding requirements for manufacturers, but enables detailed implementing measures in future. These measures will establish eco-design requirements relating to individual product types.
It should be noted that with respect to hot water boilers, household refrigerators, freezers and their combinations and ballasts for fluorescent lighting, the directives listed below, set energy efficiency requirements for these product types, and are deemed to be implementing measures for the purpose of the EuP Directive:
• New hot water boilers fired with liquid or gaseous fuels
(92/42/EEC).
• Household electric refrigerators, freezers and
their combinations (96/57/EC).
• Ballasts for fluorescent lighting (2000/55/EC).
Latest developments
The European Commission is currently undertaking studies of groups of energy–using products, to assess whether and which eco-design requirements should be set for particular products. These include:
· Battery chargers and external power supplies,
· Boilers,
· Commercial refrigeration,
· Domestic Refrigeration,
· Imaging Equipment,
· Motors/ pumps/fans and circulators, and
· Office lighting, Public (street) lighting,
· Personal Computers,
· Residential air conditioners,
· Simple Set Top Boxes
· Standby and off mode losses of EuPs,
· Televisions,
· Washing Machines and Dishwashers,
· Water heaters,
The Directive (2005/32/EC) will be implemented by the Eco-design for Energy-using Products Regulations 2007 which came into force on 11 August 2007. There is guidance available on the Defra website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/consumerprod/pdf/energy-products-regs-guide.pdf.
Defra will lead on bringing any necessary implementing measures into UK law.
For further information see:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/innovation/sustainability/eup/page38894.html
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/demand/legislation/eco_design_en.htm