WEEE Recycling Network - Consultation

Environment Agency Draft Consultation available

The draft consultation from the Environment Agency, covering the requirements for those processing WEEE, is now available. See the link to the right - comment is invited by the 29th of October 2004.

Jump to other available consultations
Including Batteries, RoHS and the National Clearing House.

DTI consultation process

The WEEE directive must be transposed into UK law from the final text from Europe by the 13th of August 2004.

The DTI is hosting a consultation process, which is your chance to be heard, and the Better Regulation Task Force is investigating the implementation process.

Third Stage

The third consultation was released on the 30 July 2004, and replies are asked for by the 29th of October 2004. The directive will therefore be implemented in the 'Autumn', later than the 13th of August deadline. This will not affect the 2005 deadline of the 13th of August for producer and retailer responsibility.

This stage gives indication of dates for registry of producers and retailers, further details of compliance scheme reporting and responsibilities and the kind of information that will need to be supplied.

There are several documents - we recommend the reading of Part III, the Guidance Notes that give useful examples and scenarios; see link to the right.

Second stage

Replies to the second stage are now published, see the link to the right.

The second stage of the consultation is available. I recommend the reading of 'Part I Overview' that sets out the government's latest thinking.

In brief:

The government's preferred option is of a national 'clearing house' to coordinate collection of WEEE
A flexible approach to take-back is proposed, where retailers can either have an in-store operation or join a compliance scheme
Producers will be responsible for costs from a central collection point, either in relation to their own products or by joining a compliance organisation
Local authorities will be encouraged to separately collect WEEE and upgrade civic amenity sites, and will be able to apply for a grant to do so
Views on the encouragement of reuse are invited

Responses to the second stage

Only 219 responses were received, of those responses these are the main points:

There is support for a 'decision tree' approach for deciding scope of the directive, and strong calls that decisions are harmonised across the EU
A stronger definition of 'placed on the market' is required
There is general support for a retailer compliance scheme, although concern over whether a fund of £10 million is too high or too low
Support for the clearing house model is shown from all sectors, although further definition required
A quarter of respondents are in favour of a 'visible fee' on new goods
On financial guarantees there is strong support for a wide range of options to be available
An overwhelming rejection of basing market share on revenue, with a majority calling for weight of the product to be the basis
Strong support that reuse should be a consideration of producer compliance schemes
Support for a 'business forum' to implement product design requirements

The third stage of the proposal (which will be a draft set of guidelines) is expected in early June, and will also contain a set of likely scenarios. .

First stage

The first stage of the process is now closed - use the link on the right to view the Network response to the first Discussion Paper.

The DTI has released an analysis of the 316 responses received - it is statistical information as to the responses, but there is interest in how the different stakeholders have responded.

They have also released their own response to this stage, and at only eight pages it is a far more useful summary of the first stage of consultation.

Other consultations

Batteries - the initial Batteries Directive consultation is available, reply by the 5th of August 2004. It will mostly affect battery manufacturers and retailers and is a producer responsibility Directive.

National Clearing House Discussion Paper produced by the Strategic Electronic Waste Policy Forum. Producers of EEE will be required to pay for the running of the clearing house, make sure you understand the issues.

We have developed a diagram that shows how the clearing house model might work, please click the link on the right.

Use of Hazardous Substances - consultation to the amendment of the Annex in the RoHS Directive, responses were asked for by the 5th of July 2004.