European Directive on WEEE

[Naughty Vend]

Another piece of ridiculous legislation from Brussels?

As a producer, importer or rebrander of electrical items or those which have a power source (such as a battery) we have been told by the Environment Agency that we need to be registered under the WEEE regulations.

DTI site : http://www.dti.gov.uk/innovation/sustainability/weee/page30269.html

The obligation we have now is to accept the return of goods for recycling should the consumer desire this option, great for the environment but considering most of our powered products are vibrating cock rings, vibrators, rabbit vibes etc. there could be a bio-haz risk... :p. I just wonder how much tax money this cost to set up and whom will actually recycle anything and how effective it shall be in application...

Anyone else caught up in this with some light to shed?

[markie]

Hi there

Although this particular piece of legislation did originate in Brussels as you mentioned it is not only the EU who are taking this level of action. In fact there is a move worldwide to make businesses more responsible for the potential waste of the products they sell and the harm they do to the environment.

The focus on electrical goods is because of the nature of the components, your products may contain plastics that are long-term degradable and elecrtronics that contain heavy metals and should therefore be disposed of, or recycled with care.

The real crime here is that local authorities have not been given enough funding, or incentive, to help them with this transition. Also, businessess have not been given enough incentive to place methods into their systems to account for this legislation. Many companies already do have recycling (HP printer catridges come with freepost envelopes to return the used cartridge, etc.), and this is the way all suppliers of this type of goods will have to go.

But, as the page you linked stated, the legislation has been coming into effect for years. this is just the final stage. I am sorry you seem to have been affected by it, but we are all going to be made increasingly aware of this and we will all have to accomodate it. hopefully the government will help us by discouraging imports from overseas from countries that do not enforce this legislation.

If you are that concerned about the effect of this on trade perhaps you should write to your MP insisting that more is done to help small businesses adapt to this legislation and the compulsory enforcement on importation from overseas that it must comply with the same legislation. I appreciate the need for a free market, but we must also make it balanced as one country will suffer for another.

[Rhyl Lightworks]

As far as I can tell, WEEE regulations stipulate that any retailer of electrical goods must offer to take back any items they are replacing (but not items they are not replacing). We have done this for years anyway. Most consumers don't know about it and don't take advantage, unless it is a big item like a washing machine. (Comet and Curry's make a big thing in their advertising about offering this service as if they have a choice in the matter - they don't.)
We have a notice that we will do this both in the shop and on our website. So far no-one has used this on our website, and only a few in the shop. Most people dispose of batteries, bulbs, light fittings, etc. as they have always done, but I agree local authorities should do much more to help both businesses and the public to recycle. It is often not so much a question of finance, but commitment.
Barrie