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Latest RoHS/WEEE News
Washington Enacts WEEE Program
On March 25, 2006, the state of Washington enacted a WEEE program that has been described by the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators as the most comprehensive program of its kind in the U.S. According to the NCEL, the regulations were developed by a large stakeholder group that included manufacturers, local government officials, recyclers, retailers, environmental organizations and charity associations.
The Washington WEEE program requires manufacturers to implement a recycling program for CEDs by January 2009. CEDs are described as "cathode ray tube or flat panel computer monitor having a viewable area greater than four inches when measured diagonally, a desktop computer, a laptop or a portable computer, or a cathode ray tube or flat panel television having a viewable area greater than four inches when measured diagonally" that has been used in the state by any covered entity (i.e., households, charities, school districts, small businesses or small governments), regardless of the original point of purchase. CEDs do not include the following:
- A motor vehicle or replacement parts for use in motor vehicles or aircraft, or any computer, computer monitor or television that is contained within, and is not separate from, the motor vehicle or aircraft;
- Monitoring and control instruments or systems;
- Medical devices;
- Products including materials intended for use as ingredients in those products as defined in the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act or the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act of 1913 and regulations issued under those acts;
- Equipment used in the delivery of patient care in a health care setting;
- A computer, computer monitor or television that is contained within a clothes washer, clothes dryer, refrigerator, refrigerator and freezer, microwave oven, conventional oven or range, dishwasher, room air conditioner, dehumidifier or air purifier; or
- Hand-held portable voice or data devices used for commercial mobile services
Manufacturers participating in an approved plan are responsible for covering all administrative and operational costs associated with the collection, transportation and recycling of their plan's equivalent share of CEDs. If costs are passed on to consumers, it must be done without any fees at the time the unwanted electronic product is delivered or collected for recycling. Households may only be charged for "premium collection services" such as individual home pick-up services provided by a delivery company. Small businesses, small governments, school districts and charities that have large quantities of computers and televisions must transport them to processing centers themselves.
Manufacturers are required to participate in the standard plan administered by the Washington Materials Management and Financing Authority unless they obtain approval from the Washington Department of Ecology to develop an independent plan for the collection, transportation and recycling of unwanted CEDs. Independent plans must represent at least a 5% share of television and computer sales in Washington, but companies can join together to meet this requirement. Additionally, new entrants and "white box" manufacturers (i.e., products without a label) may not participate in an independent plan. New entrants are defined as manufacturers of televisions that have been sold in the state for less than ten years or manufacturers of desktop computers, laptop and portable computers that have been sold in the state for less than five years. The deadline to submit initial independent plans is February 1, 2008.
The recycling responsibility for each manufacturer will be based on the percentage of their branded CEDs recycled through the program each year. By June 1 of each program year, the WDE must notify each manufacturer of its equivalent CED share to be applied to the previous program year. Preliminary return shares for the next program year will be announced by the WDE by June 1, 2007 and every year thereafter on that same date. Manufacturers may challenge the preliminary return share by written petition to the WDE. Final return shares will be published on August 1, 2007 and every year thereafter on that same date. Lastly, beginning on January 1, 2007 and annually thereafter, manufacturers must register with the WDE and submit annual registration and plan review fees to cover administrative costs. No manufacturer may sell or offer for sale a CED in or into the state unless the manufacturer is participating in an approved plan. The WDE will send a written warning to a manufacturer that does not have an approved plan or is not participating in an approved plan. The written warning must inform the manufacturer that it must participate in an approved plan within 30 days of the notice. Any violation after the initial written warning will be assessed a penalty of up to $10,000 for each violation.
[PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION]
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Two New Stringent Environmental Directives Will Affect Electronics Manufacturers. Are You Ready?
Learn about RoHS and WEEE and how they will affect the electronics industry
If you supply to the electronics industry or manufacture electronic products, new legislation will dramatically impact your manufacturing processes, revenues and costs.
[FULL STORY]
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