Europe gets tough on tech recycling

Four leading manufacturers of electrical and electronic appliances, Braun, Electrolux, HP and Sony, have set up the first pan-European take back and compliance scheme for waste from electrical and electronic equipment.

The initiative, dubbed the European Recycling Platform Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Compliance Scheme, is in response to the European WEEE Directive which is due to come into effect across Europe in the second half of 2005.

To administer the scheme, the companies have established a limited company, European Recycling Platform SAS, which is registered in Paris.

"Our objective is to create the most cost-efficient WEEE take back compliance scheme and to stimulate competition between WEEE take back systems in all EU countries," said Hans Korfmacher, assigned president of the European Recycling Platform company.

"We anticipate that the customers and consumers of each of the companies involved will benefit from the cost efficiencies we will achieve."

The company said that it will outsource all operational activities, including recycling, logistics and the administrative work to manage the operational activities to at least two general contractors.

"European Recycling Platform will take back WEEE from municipal and other collection points, such as retailers, in order to provide the best service for our customers and to ensure compliance for our members," explained Korfmacher.

The scheme will focus on operations in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK. Additional countries will be considered at a later stage.