The WEEE (Waste from Electronic and Electrical Equipment) and RoHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substances) Directives are meant to increase recycling by reducing waste and decreasing the use of hazardous chemicals in the manufacture of electronic and electrical equipment. However, many manufacturers do not understand what the directives require.
This lack of understanding and information presents a serious situation for makers of such products, a release from TUV Rhineland says. Any company that manufacturers in or exports to the European Union will be required to comply with the WEEE Directive by August 2005 and with the RoHS Directive by February 2006. Any manufacturer that fails to do so will have its products banned from sale in EU member countries.
To keep ahead of the directives and help its base of clients, TUV Rheinland has taken an educational and consultative approach towards the affected manufacturers, the company says.
"We've taken a global approach to compliance management. We are offering regular informational web seminars about WEEE and RoHS, as well as custom onsite seminars and consulting," Deep Krishnan, director of Sales and Marketing at TUV Rheinland, says. He adds, "The online survey results highlight the need for these kinds of resources to help manufactures make the necessary changes to meet the directives."
TUV Rheinland North America Inc. has offices throughout North America. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of TUV Rheinland Group, a global leader in compliance engineering, testing and quality system certification. The company serves manufacturers in many industries, including medical devices, semi-conductor, information technology, consumer electronics, industrial machinery, household appliances and wireless equipment.
Additional information on TUV Rheinland North America Inc. is available online at www.tuv.com, or by calling 1-TUV-RHEINLAND or (888) 743-4652.