European Electronics Take-Back Law Wins Approval

Compiled ByDeborah Austin The European Parliament has adopted a proposal that requires manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment to pay for recycling of their products. Approved May 15, the proposal covers "all electrical and electronic equipment used by consumers" and that "intended for professional use" which is likely to enter the municipal waste stream. The directive requires producers to pay for recycling of their "obsolete" products, and for collecting waste equipment from households, as well as its recycling and disposal. It also requires more aggressive recycling and more stringent requirements for toxic materials phase-out and environmentally friendly design. The costs of collection, treatment, and disposal are to be built into the products' prices. The proposal allows member states and producers a transitional period for compliance. Last year the Parliament also adopted a directive requiring automotive producers to be responsible for their scrapped products.