Recycling law implementation and Hazardous Waste

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Recycling law implementationand Hazardous Waste

• The EUs Waste Electronic and Electrical
  Equipment (WEEE)

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Hazardous Waste

• New rules came into force on 16th July 2005
• Which classified Computers, Monitors, printers
  etc as hazardous Waste
• Businesses know find themselves the producers of
  hazardous waste

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Eastern Region Technical Managers ForumRecycling

• Sue Pinkerton

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Whose affected

• Any business that generates more than 200kgs of
  hazardous waste per year
• Equivalent to around 17 computer monitors
• Need to register site premises with Environment
  agency

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Register with Environment Agency

• Colleges are exempt from registration if they
  generate lt 200kgs per annum, however they need to
  contact Environment Agency for an exemption code,
  which needs to be used when filing in the waste
  carriers (collectors) paperwork
• Further information can be found on
  http//www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/wast
  e/

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Collectors Registered with Environment Agency

• Colleges need to use collectors registered with
  the Environment Agency
• To check your collector is on the register or
  find a collector on the register go to
• http//www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/wast
  e

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Hazardous Waste Regulation

• The new rules on hazardous waste regulation have
  come into force shortly before the EU law
  requiring businesses to recycle their old IT and
  Telecoms equipment.

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WEEE Directive

• Delays in introducing law until Summer 2006
  announced in 2005.
• www.dti.gov.uk/sustainability /weee

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WEEE Directive Criteria

• Sets criteria for
• Collection
• Treatment
• Recycling
• Recovery
• of electrical and electronic waste equipment

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Implementation Delays

• Due to delays publishing the draft regulations
• and guidance notes the UK is currently
• scheduled to implement in June 2006

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Further EU Law

• Directive on Restriction of Use of Hazardous
  Substances (RoHS)
• RoHS facilitates the dismantling and recycling of
  electrical and electronic equipment by
  restricting the use of hazardous substances used
  in their manufacture

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Help

• RoHS is due to become law on 1st July 2006
• http//www.envirowise.gov.uk/
• Offers free help and advise

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Fines for non compliance

• Non Compliant systems fined
• UK company fined 5000 in November 2005 after 200
  computer monitors and other equipment was found
  dumped in three sites.

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Charges for non compliance

• The company were charged with
• Keeping waste without a licence
• Failing to prevent the escape of waste by not
  storing it in a secure area

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Benefits of Compliance

• Adhering to corporate governance requirements
• Seen to be green
• Good deals with suppliers

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Difficulty in implementation

• IT industry and electrical retailers with their
  huge lobbying power make it very difficult for
  the government to put the EUs Waste Electrical
  and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive into
  action

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Ethics

• MBA students knowledge of Ethics introduced into
  the MBA course in the 1980s when business gurus
  argued that firms could benefit from developing
  characteristics beyond pursing a cosy rapport
  with the share holders

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Business Life

• Good Ethics does not always match the macho-cut
  and thrust of corporate life.
• Promotion does not come for reducing value to the
  bottom line, and an ethical or environmental
  stand usually does that.

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Government control

• According to an article in March 2005 in IT week
• Most businesses are waiting for the government to
  take control of IT waste and dumping

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Useful Links

• http//www.dti.gov.uk/sustainability/weee/
• http//www.out-law.com
• http//www.digital-links.org/index.htm

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Open Discussion

• What collector are you using?
• Do you know if they are registered?
• What services do they offer?
• How prepared are you for WEEE RoHS?