Key Recycling calls for businesses and local authorities to take a proactive stance to the WEEE regulations, and see beyond the need to comply
Recycling experts Key Recycling, part of the Key Eco Group based in Scotland, are calling on businesses and local authorities to take a proactive stance towards the recycling of electrical and electronic waste, or miss out on a real opportunity.
The WEEE (Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment) regulations, a directive from European Parliament, comes into force this year, yet according to Key Recycling Group CEO Stephen Melville, few are geared up for it or understand what it means for them.
“Even those few who are aware of this new legislation are seeing it as a burden rather than an opportunity,” explains Stephen, but this needn’t be the case.”
“From July this year the W.E.E.E regulations will put the responsibility for the safe disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment firmly with the producer, so there are important legal and compliance issues to consider.
“But with a bit of foresight businesses can not only avoid prosecution, but use these regulations as an opportunity; a chance to give something back to the community and demonstrate they are responsible corporate citizens.
“They also have a chance to generate revenue through volume recycling; a significant proportion of the electrical and electronic equipment that is dumped each year can be recycled.”
This week local authorities have expressed their concern over the increased costs they expect to incur as a result of the WEEE regulations, in particular handling large volumes of defunct consumer electrical goods for safe disposal, however Key Recycling believes these costs can be offset by money generated from recycling.
“Approximately 30 per cent of all electrical waste can be recycled and reused, and the money earned put back into the council or business to meet handling costs and fund more facilities.”
The W.E.E.E. (Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment) regulations is a new Directive from European Parliament which, though the setting of requirements and targets around disposal and recycling of this kind of waste, aims to reduce its impact on the environment. The Directive affects nearly every UK business.
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