Waste Electrical Electronic Equipment

Directive 2002/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste electrical and electronic equipment was transposed into national law in December 2006. The WEEE Directive is one of a small number of European Directives, which implement the principle of “extended producer responsibility”. Under this principle producers are required to take responsibility for the environmental impact of their products, especially when they become waste. The WEEE Directive applies this in relation to electrical and electronic equipment (EEE).

The broad aim of the WEEE Directive is to address the environmental impacts of WEEE and to encourage its separate collection and subsequent treatment, reuse, recovery, recycling and environmentally sound disposal. The Directive seeks to improve the environmental performance of all operators involved in the lifecycle of EEE especially those dealing with WEEE. Accordingly it sets certain requirements relating to the separate collection of WEEE, standards of its treatment at permitted facilities, and sets targets for its recycling and recovery.

Related Documents

The WEEE Protocol for North/South retailer activity in respect of electrical and electronic equipment may be downloaded here Draft Protocol North/South Retail Activity in Respect of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (357kb)