Change in EU law promotes recycling

Local ecological waste management advocates, especially those in the manufacturing and remanufacturing industry, welcome the latest news from the European electrical and electronic equipment industry – the amendment of the European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive.

Chris David, a European parliament member, clinched an agreement last Oct. 11 for a new wording for the amendment that is expected to become law within 30 months.

The amendment seeks to encourage member-states to design and produce electrical and electronic equipment "which take into account and facilitate the dismantling and recovery, and in particular, the reuse and recycling of WEEE, their components and materials," reported David Connett, publisher of Recycler Trade Magazine.

With this development, the industry is expected to be heading faster toward reuse and recycling of components and materials, as member-states will also have to take the necessary measures "(so that) producers (do not) prevent through specific design features or manufacturing processes, WEEE from being reused, unless such specific design features or manufacturing processes present (overriding) advantages, (for example) with regard to the (protection) of the environment and/or safety requirements."

Norbert Grimm, president of a local remanufacturing company for electronic components, such as inkjet and laserjet printer cartridges, said this development, if applied locally, should help boost the provisions in the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act or Republic Act 9003 and its implementing rules and regulations.

The law seeks to reduce waste and prevent garbage accumulation through ecological means, such as reuse and recycling. In particular, a local version of the European directive would greatly help in diverting electrical and electronic waste components and materials from the local waste stream.

Grimm’s company, Printing Images CtC Inc., based in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (047-2526012; 0916-3053244), has bought from collectors some 100,000 used cartridges in the past month alone.

With each piece weighing 45-50 grams, Grimm said, this would amount to some 5,000 kilograms of metal and plastic turned toxic in a month alone, if they are not retrieved and remanufactured.

The company is a member of the International Imaging Technology Council.