The European Parliament (EP) has announced plans to tighten the rules for the European Union’s growing generation of obsolete electronics (WEEE, or Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) while also reducing “red tape” for recycling companies.
In a plenary vote made in February 2011, members of the European Parliament (MEP) have proposed new targets for collecting, recycling and re-using waste. MEPS also are recommending tougher measures to prevent the export of electronic scrap to developing countries, where it can pose a health and environment hazard.
In a vote on a draft to an update to 2003 rules, EP has adopted its recommended changes by an overwhelming margin of 580 votes for, compared with 37 against, with 22 abstentions. Council will now consider EP's position ahead of a possible second reading.
Karl-Heinz Florenz , who steered the draft legislation through EP, says, "We can no longer afford to waste our waste. Parliament has sent a strong message that public authorities, manufacturers and consumers all need to play their part to ensure we collect and recycle more of our electrical and electronic goods. We have also set out stricter rules to stop potentially harmful waste being illegally shipped to developing countries."
"By voting in favor of an ambitious collection target based on WEEE generated, by claiming for standards on e-waste management and by enabling financial incentives for optimized design, the European Parliament has grasped the important potentials of the WEEE legislation to change our e-waste management from pure end of pipe solutions to a more integrated approach on resources efficiency," says Stephane Arditi, senior waste policy officer for the European Environmental Bureau, a federation of more than 140 environmental citizens’ organizations based in all 27 European Union member states.
To accomplish this, EP is calling on its member states to collect 85 percent of the electronic scrap they produce by 2016. It also proposes a 2012 target whereby member states should collect 4 kilograms of electronic scrap per inhabitant or the weight of e-waste collected in 2010, whichever is greater.
During discussions surrounding changes to the WEEE Directive, MEPs stressed that standardizing registration and reporting is needed to lighten the administrative burden and costs on companies. A further step that is being looked at is reducing the number of electrical equipment categories.
In regard to the problem with exporting waste to developing countries, MEPs have proposed stricter inspections of shipments as well as further clarifying the fact that exporters should carry the burden of proof that goods that they are exporting are re-usable.
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