Free take back of used electrical goods starts 13 august 2005

New regulations published by Mr. Dick Roche, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage, and Local Government clear the way for producer-funded recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment in Ireland. The Regulations transpose two landmark EU Directives on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and on the Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) into Irish law and provide the legislative framework for their implementation. The new recycling regime for WEEE commences on 13 August next as required by the Directive.

The WEEE Directive requires producers to be responsible for the financing of the collection, treatment, recovery and environmentally sound disposal of WEEE from 13 August 2005. It means that final users of such household WEEE will be entitled to leave that waste back free of charge, either to retail outlets in instances where a replacement item is purchased, or other authorised collection points, including local authority civic amenity sites, from that date onwards.

Three sets of regulations were made by the Minister, one of which amends the Waste Management Act 1996 to provide enabling provisions for transposition and implementation, with separate sets of regulations laying down the implementation arrangements for WEEE and RoHS.

"A new and exciting chapter is opening for recycling in Ireland. This is one of the fastest growing waste streams in Ireland and there are compelling reasons for tackling it. It is a source of valuable materials which can readily be recycled and which we must divert from landfill. This equipment can also contain hazardous substances which pose a threat to the environment and human health. The restriction of the use of certain hazardous materials, including heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium provides the primary focus of the RoHS Directive. We have already achieved major progress in the area of packaging waste and we now want to build on that success for this particular waste stream", the Minister said.

The Minister said that the Regulations followed an intensive public consultation which he initiated when the Regulations were published in draft form on 15 April last. "I received some 46 written submissions all of which were carefully studied by my Department. Some excellent suggestions were made and I was happy to take many of these on board which have had the effect of streamlining and improving the legislative framework which I have now put in place." The Minister said that a summary of the various suggestions made were being published on the Department‘‘s website.

Minister Roche said that when he published the draft regulations he recognised that the timeline for implementation was very tight and indeed had led to other EU Member States deferring commencement of the Directive. "I want to commend industry and the other stakeholders for the progress that has been made in recent months."

An industry-based producer registration body, WEEE Register, which will have an independent Committee of Management has been established and will commence registering producers. The new body is chaired by Mr. Declan Burns, ex Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). An informal working group comprising the lead local authorities of the ten regional waste management plan areas and EEE producers have been working on the detailed arrangements to cope with the expected influx of WEEE following the commencement of free one-for-one take back of WEEE. "Considerable progress has been made and, while further work remains to be done, we are well on track to having an effective system in place by the commencement date", the Minister added.

"Enforcement of the regulations implementing the requirement of the WEEE Directive will be a key pri