European E-waste legislation and guidance
The European Union leads the world in legislation to reduce reliance on landfill and ensure hazardous e-waste is dealt with in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way. Sims Recycling Solutions provides technologically advanced electronic refurbishment and recycling services to businesses and organisations obligated under EU legislation to dispose of redundant e-waste responsibly.
The principle legislation affecting European electronics manufacturers, distributors, retailers and business end users is the WEEE Directive. However, other European legislation addresses treatment of hazardous waste and transportation of waste.
The WEEE Directive
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive is the EU’s primary driver to achieving a higher level of environmental protection and encouraging resource efficiency. It sets targets for the collection, reuse and recycling of electrical and electronic equipment.
Producers (or distributors) of electrical and electronic products are obligated to:
- Register with the competent authority nominated by each EU member state to track producer compliance and provide estimates of the weight of equipment intended to be put on each national market annually
- Arrange acceptable financial guarantees to meet obligations arising in each member state
- Ensure that appropriate data is collected to be able to demonstrate compliance in each relevant member state
For further information, visit the Europa website or your country's government environment agency (see section below).
Hazardous Waste
The Restriction of Hazardous Waste (RoHS) Directive deals with the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. This targets the manufacturers of products to minimise the possibility of known hazardous substances being used in new equipment and potentially entering the environment over the course of the product's lifecycle.
Hazardous Waste Regulations have been implemented across Europe to restrict the disposal of hazardous waste, without pre-treatment, by any business that operates within certain country specific parameters.
For further information visit the Europa website, or for country specific advice, visit the websites of individual country environment agencies, listed below.
Shipment of waste
The Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations have been implemented to control the movement of waste (including recyclable materials) between countries. The regulations require auditable trails of all waste materials being exported, imported and moved across country borders.
The Europa website has further details, or you can visit individual European country environment agencies for guidance, listed below.
Each EU state has a government department that oversees implementation of e-waste legislation. Links to departments within the states in which Sims Recycling Solutions owns e-recycling operations are:
Belgium: The Public Waste Agency of Flanders is responsible for waste management.
France: The Ministere de l'Ecologie, de l'Energie, du Developpement durable et de l'Amenagement du territoire oversees environmental issues in France.
Germany: The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety oversees environmental issues.
Netherlands: The Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment gives access to legislation.
Sweden: The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency monitors the environment in Sweden.
UK: The Environment Agency is the leading public body responsible for protecting and improving the environment in England and Wales. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency protects Scotland's environment.