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Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment

Background
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS)
WEEE & RoHS Categories
Useful Links


New Regulations, the Waste Management (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 which amend the Waste Management (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations 2005 (S.I. No. 340 of 2005)

 prohibit –

  • producers from displaying “registration numbers” that are no longer valid, and
  • distributors from requiring consumers to sign documents stating that an item of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)  is not available for collection,

 provide for the –

  • organisers of trade shows and exhibitions to ensure that exhibitors fulfil their producer and distributor obligations, and
  • identification of producer throughout the business to business supply chain,
  • require distributors of business to business (B2B) electrical and electronic equipment to provide information to B2B customers.

simplify –

  • the provisions for displaying environmental management costs, and
  • point of sale signage, and

enable –

  • alternative systems for the registration of distributors.

Background

The production of electrical and electronic equipment is one of the fastest growing domains of manufacturing industry in the Western world. New applications of electrical and electronic equipment are increasing significantly due both to technological innovation and market expansion. Furthermore, this particular stream is a complex mixture of materials and components which leads to increasing problems at the waste management stage.

The basic components commonly found in electrical and electronic equipment are printed circuit boards/assemblies, cables, cords and wires, plastics containing flame retardants, mercury switches, display equipment such as cathode ray tubes and crystal liquid displays, data storage media, capacitors, sensors and connectors.  

The most environmentally problematic substances contained in these components are heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium and chromium; halogenated substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and brominated flame retardants; as well as asbestos and arsenic.


Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

The WEEE Directive requires producers to be responsible for the financing of the collection, treatment, recovery and environmentally sound disposal of WEEE from 13 August 2005.  It means that final users of such household WEEE are entitled to leave that waste back free of charge, either to retail outlets in instances where a replacement item is purchased, or other authorised collection points, including local authority civic amenity sites, from that date onwards.


Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS)

The purpose of the RoHS Directive is to approximate the laws of the Member States on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.  Under the terms of the Directive, electrical and electronic equipment put on the market must not contain

  • lead, mercury,
  • cadmium,
  • hexavalent chromium,
  • polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) or
  • polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE). 

The scope of the legislation applies to electrical and electronic equipment falling under categories 1-7 and category 10, as well as electric light bulbs and luminaries in households.  Medical and monitoring devices falling under categories 8 and 9 are exempt. 

Importantly, this Directive does not apply to the reuse of electrical and electronic equipment put on the market before 1 July 2006 or to spare parts used to repair this equipment.


WEEE & RoHS Categories

1.   Large household appliances
2.   Small household appliances
3.   IT and telecommunications equipment
4.   Consumer equipment
5.   Lighting equipment
6.   Electrical and electronic tools (with the exception of large-scale stationary industrial tools)
7.   Toys, leisure and sports equipment
8.   Medical devices (with the exception of all implanted and infected products)
9.   Monitoring and control instruments
10. Automatic dispensers

Three sets of regulations were made, one of which amends the Waste Management Act 1996 to provide enabling provisions for transposition and implementation, with separate sets of regulations laying down the implementation arrangements for WEEE and RoHS.


Useful Links

EU Commission WEEE & RoHS
EPA - WEEE
WEEE Register

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