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The European Commission has now passed a Directive, (13/02/03), to confront issues concerning the increasing amount of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE).
The new directive deals with the growing problem of electrical and electronic waste. As the growth of the production of such equipment has increased, so has the growth of waste leading to harmful pollutants ending up in the environment. The new WEEE Directive will cut the amount of harmful waste ending up in landfills.
The WEEE Directive aims
- to minimise waste from electrical and electronic equipment
- to encourage re-use, recycling and other forms of recovery of electronic and electrical equipment
- to minimise the environmental and health risks associated with using hazardous substances in the production, treatment and disposal of such equipment
Manufacturers will be responsible for ‘financing the management of the waste from his own products,’ i.e. manufacturers must take the responsibility to recover, reuse and recycle their electrical and electronic equipment from the customer, free of charge.
The new WEEE Directive ensures that the Original Equipment Manufacturer of Printer Consumables cannot restrict competition in the market by either restricting the recovery; reuse and recycling of the products they produce. This now includes the banning of Chips used on newer cartridges. Because Lasertech only reuse the outer case of the cartridges and all internal components are brand new with the old components being returned to their base form. Lasertech complies with this new Legislation.
Lasertech, manufacture printer cartridges, and do not hold the responsibility of the OEM to recover products under the WEEE Directive. However, not only will Lasertech recover your cartridges, but as part of our recycling Programme, we will pay you for them.
For more information on the WEEE Directive please visit the following website –
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/docum/00347_en.htm
Lasertech UK Ltd are one of the few UK companies with the appropriate licenses, premises and factory to recover, reuse and recycle waste cartridges in the UK. Licensing originally focused on the final disposal of waste but, since the EC Waste Framework Directive they now cover the storage, treatment and recycling of waste.
The Environment Agency tightened up their system of licensing to prevent pollution of the environment or harm to public health, by ensuring that waste is being handled properly and by competent people. The Duty of Care applies to anyone who produces, keeps or stores, transports, treats, or disposes of waste or anyone who organises any of the aforementioned.
All organisations have a Duty of Care which means they have a duty towards preventing the unauthorised or harmful disposal of your waste by another person, prevent the escape of waste from you or any other person’s control – Lasertech are licensed to take full responsibility for all of the printer consumable waste that is collected by you, Lastly it is a duty to ensure the transfer of the waste you have collected is secure.
If a single cartridge is disposed of to a third party who does not posses a license you are liable to pay an unlimited fine. It is the responsibility of every company that disposes of Printer Cartridges to obtain and hold a copy of Collectors license, and have documented evidence of “Waste Transfer” notes.
If you presently use printer cartridges and do not dispose of them using a licensed carrier, you could be breaking the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Lasertech are full licensed ‘Waste Carriers’ – Waste Carriers are registered to transport controlled waste by road.
For more information about ‘Your Duty of Care’ follow these links
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/management
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/waste
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