12Jan

WEEE changes put back to the end of the year

Posted on 12th January, 2010

The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has said that anticipated alterations to the WEEE Directive will not come into force until the end of the year.

The changes are expected to lead to a three fold increase in the amount of electrical equipment covered by the Directive therefore tripling the recycling targets for WEEE. According to letsrecycle.com, the draft recast of the WEEE Directive is currently making its way through European Union members involved in the decision process.

However, concern has been aired over proposals to introduce a new 65 per cent collection target to be reached by all member states by 2016 – moving from the current weight-based goals – and to extend producer responsibility.

There is pre-preliminary meeting due on the WEEE Directive by a council working group on the 15th January, a report will then be drawn up outlining the commission’s proposals to be voted on by the Parliament’s Environmental Committee in April. A full plenary session of the Parliament is then set to vote on proposed amendments at a discussion scheduled for June 2010.

Watch this space for more details as this develops throughout the year.