Throw an underground in the electronic recycle bin

If current the status of RoHS & WEEE continues in the same track, this headline can be true! At the moment both the RoHS & WEEE directives are under revision. One main discussion regards the different product groups and there definitions. Also if they should be in both directives or different in each directive. The last meetings in the end of October 2009 come to a new conclusion. "Oh, we are tired of this discussion, we skip the product groups in both directives!" The headline refers to the WEEE directive that should ensure that a consumer, free of charge, can dispose old electric and electronic products into dedicated waste bins. These will then be recycled by authorised organisations. In the new definition of electric and electronic products (EEE) all that use electricity in order to perform its task, which will include most industrial products including electric- , hybrid vehicles, underground and street cars. Off cause I only speculate as I have not seen the latest documents but previous revision together with this rumour gives this effect. As everybody understand its not realistic to just throw an underground or an elevator in the bin. This means that finally EU has to define what is consumer and what is "professional" goods. A company have to handle the product responsibility, which in principle means they have to pay to recycle EEE when it occurs. There is also the principle of one old against a new, where the company has to accept to receive on old unit of similar function against a new. The question is how environmental freidly is it to ship back to the manufacturer. Especially if the goods are exported. Personally I think it is very good that the WEEE directive will be forced to handle both routes; the consumer and the "professional". Regarding the RoHS directive the perspective is different. Authorities think it is relatively easy to get exceptions from the directive, even it takes some time. Therefore they see no problem to expand the scope to all EEE as those having problem can apply for exception. However when Authorities thinks of EEE they see mobile phones, TV sets, refrigerators but they cannot imagine it can be a water power plant dam tensil strength measurement equipment, a control equipment for a paper machine or an airport electrical safety system. Those are developed and shipped by small and medium enterprises, that build specialised systems. They do not have the resources to apply for exception. They usually cannot afford to collaborate with Universities or Institutes, in order to find solutions to avoid the RoHS materials, with the current rules. The comission where suprised when they realised the cost for the companies to implement RoHS the first time. The main problem is the lead free soldering, where no study has proved the long term safety of lead free soldering. I believe EU members must be sure that its safe to take the underground an elevator och hart-lung machine. EU commission must assure and set money on how to achive best practises that can can come to the SME companies. However the two of the most popular Whereas notes in the Directives are: Taking into account technical and economic feasibility, including for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)... This Directive does not affect the EU budget The conclusion is: There is no money to help SME companies! Eric Östlund Managing Director N.B. At the same time the battle between RoHS versus REACH has started... {FacileForms:ContactWeb_TextCode_en,1,0}

Last Updated on Saturday, 06 February 2010 17:55