Luxembourg, 08/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - The unanimous political agreement of the Environment Council on the Directives concerning, on the one hand, the management of electrical and electronic waste, and on the other hand, the elimination of dangerous substances from this type of equipment (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.5-6) was reached thanks to a compromise by the Presidency, approved by the Ministers. There will not be a merger of the two Directives, which will thus retain their different legal basis (respectively environmental protection and the internal market). Denmark and Sweden, implementing stricter legislation than required by the Community on dangerous substances, could maintain their national provisions.
Last pending issues where resolved in the following manner:
Equipment waste: (1) Time for completion of Directive objectives: the Member States will have 30 months for the establishment of the infrastructure for selective collection, 36 months to achieve the target of 4kg collected by inhabitant per year, 30 months for the establishment of financing systems, 46 months for the recuperation/recycling targets; (2) recuperation/recycling targets: - for large electronic equipment: recuperation of 80% of the average weight per equipment and reuse/recycling of 75% for components; - for information technology equipment and consumer goods: at least 75% recuperation and 65% reuse/recycling for their components; - small lights, medical material, small electrical and electronic tools, toys and other leisure and sports equipment, surveillance and control material, automatic dispensers (noted and drinks): minimum of 70% and minimum of 50% for components; (3) revision clause: five years after its entry into force the Directive will be revised. On this date, the Commission will have to submit a report to the Parliament and Council on the implementation of the Directive, in particular with regards to the selective collecting, treatment, recuperation of waste and financing systems, while taking into account the recent technological progress; (4) financing systems: the Member States will be able to exempt the small independent manufacturers (turnover of less than EUR 2 million and less than 10 employees) from the requirements concerning the collective or individual financing of the collection, treatment, recuperation and ecological elimination of the private household waste for five years after the entry into force of the Directive; (5) derogations: for the implementation of all these objectives, Ireland, Greece will be able to enjoy an additional 24 months to take into account their lack of infrastructure and their specificities (existence of small islands, low population density and low level of consumption of this kind of equipment).
Dangerous substances: the agreement text draws-up a list of dangerous substances, preparations and components that will have to be extracted from all waste collected separately (such as PCBs, the components containing mercury, cathode ray tubes, toner cartridges, batteries, etc.) The obligatory replacement of dangerous substances such as chrome, cadmium and lead will arise in 2007, mid-way between the date proposed by the Commission (2008) and that called for by the Parliament (2006). Electric bulbs, soldering products and flame retardant will be tackled during the revision of the Directive (this is an extension of the scope of application of the initial text).
Once finalised the text of the agreement, the Council's "common position" will be formally adopted to be soon submitted for second reading by the Parliament.