The Hong Kong Environment Bureau has issued a consultation document to seek public views on introducing legislation to implement a mandatory producer responsibility scheme for the proper management of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The agency will accept comments until April 30, 2010.
Edward Yau, Hong Kong’s secretary for the department, notes various jurisdictions throughout the world have put in place specific measures for the management of WEEE. Meanwhile, the mainstream approach has been to bring WEEE under mandatory control through producer responsibility schemes.
"By introducing the proposed producer responsibility scheme, we could on the one hand avoid the negative impact that WEEE might bring about on the environment and on the other hand promote the recycling of waste and the reuse and recovery of useful materials," says Yau. "At the same time, we could foster the development of the local environmental industries."
Hong Kong generates around 70,000 metric tons electronic scrap a year, with volume increasing 2 percent per year.
While 80 percent of the locally generated WEEE is recovered by second-hand dealers, it is usually exported to developing countries for re-use and recovery of useful materials.
The Legislative Council enacted the Product Eco-responsibility Ordinance in July 2008 to provide a legal framework for implementing mandatory producer responsibility schemes for various products, including electrical and electronic equipment.
"The consultation document presents our analysis of the options for a WEEE scheme for Hong Kong, including the coverage of the scheme, how to provide proper treatment for waste electrical and electronic equipment, how to manage its flow and how to share the cost of the scheme. In drawing up the analysis, due regard has been given to relevant international experience as well as our local context," Yau adds.
To view the document, click here: http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/weee/en/index.html.