Sharp Teams Up to Recycle Electronics in Germany

Sharp Electronics GmbH, Sharp Corp.’s German sales and marketing subsidiary, is teaming up with Loewe AG and Philips Consumer Electronics Germany to develop and promote recycling operations in Germany for waste consumer electronics in response to the EU Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, which shall come into effect in August 2005 for electronics manufacturers.

SEEG, Loewe and Philips, which are participating in the organization of the EAR, will aim to streamline the take-back and recycling process and minimize costs through the economies of scale gained from mutual cooperation under this agreement and by finalizing agreements with existing take-back and recycling companies.

The WEEE Directive was published in the official EU (European Union) Gazette on February 13, 2003 as a proposed recycling law targeting electrical and electronic equipment. Under the directive, the law will go into effect in all EU member nations by August 13, 2004, and calls for manufacturers to implement collection and recycling operations by August 13, 2005.