WEEE
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
Control Techniques Dynamics Strategy
European Directive 2002/96/EC of January 2003, known as the
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive,
requires EU Member States to implement national legislation making
the producers (i.e. manufacturers, importers and certain other
sellers) of certain categories of Electrical and Electronic
Equipment (EEE) responsible for the costs of recovering and
recycling their products when they reach the end of their working
life, and also for applying markings and providing information to
facilitate this process.
Unlike “single-market” directives, which must be implemented
consistently throughout the EU, the WEEE Directive allows Member
States to expand its requirements as they see fit. This has
resulted in countries implementing the Directive differently,
leading to a degree of inconsistency across the EU.
Items of industrial automation equipment such as Servo Motors
are generally not end products in themselves, but become part of a
larger system or of another supplier’s product which itself may or
may not be within the scope of WEEE legislation. On the basis of
the best information and advice available at present, we believe
that Control Techniques Dynamics Servo Motors and accessories are
outside the scope of the WEEE Directive although, for the reasons
given above, obligations may exist in individual Member States.
Servo Motors may be incorporated into products which are within
the scope of WEEE, and whose manufacturers therefore have their own
recycling obligation. In such cases the fact that Servo Motors
contain a large proportion of easily-separated recyclable materials
(e.g. aluminium and other metals, plastics etc.) will help these
producers to meet their WEEE obligations.
Owing to EU restrictions on the trans-frontier shipment of
waste, it is our understanding that WEEE arising in a member state
may not be shipped to another
member state for recovery/recycling/disposal.
Further Information:
Trade associations and industry bodies are a good source of
information and advice, and several have produced industry-specific
guidance. Guidance produced by the European Commission and
individual Governments may also be helpful. If doubt exists, legal
advice should be sought.
EU information is available here:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee_index.htm
The UK Government publishes much information (some of which is
particular to the UK but might be helpful elsewhere) at:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/innovation/sustainability/weee/page30269.html
Control Techniques Dynamics Ltd
November 2006