Government proposals suggest manufacturers should pay to recycle waste electrical equipment

Government proposals suggest manufacturers should pay to recycle waste electrical equipment

Manufacturers could be expected to foot the bill to recycle electrical and electronic equipment if UK government proposals get the go-ahead. The government this week launched proposals on the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, which could see manufacturers paying for recovery schemes from August 2005.

The preferred option for recovery is for manufacturers to pay a registration fee to a “clearing house”, which would coordinate collections and deliveries nationwide. The proposal also states manufacturers would face penalties for failing to register.

A DTI spokeswoman told PRW.com the fee would be put on the finished product. She said industry would be expected to raise Ј5m (E7m) each year between 2005 and 2010 to fund a recovery scheme. The spokeswoman said the proposals would not affect the competitiveness of UK manufacturers in the European Union. She added that all goods sold in the UK would be subject to a levy to avoid unfair competition from Asia.

The proposals also include manufacturers providing financial guarantees for recovering and recycling products in case the companies leave the market or go into insolvency.