Euro-MPs tighten e-waste rules
January 19, 2012 10:40 AM
Originally published by Sarah Ludford MEP
Originally published by Sarah Ludford MEP
Euro-MPs in Strasbourg will vote today to tighten EU rules tackling the growing mountain of hazardous electronic waste. The original EU legislation on waste electrical and electronic equipment (the 'WEEE' Directive) was negotiated by Liberal Democrat MEPs, who have now spearheaded stricter rules.
TVs, mobile phones, computers and other electrical equipment are the UK's fastest growing waste stream, with more than one million tonnes generated annually. Despite the EU law already in place, only about one third of e-waste is currently disposed of in an accountable and sustainable way. The rest is either dumped in landfills or shipped - often illegally - to non-EU countries.
According to the NGO the Environmental Investigation Agency, the UK has a persistent problem with e-waste trafficking with up to half of all discarded computers in the UK entering the illegal trade streams.
London's Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford said:
"MEPs have fought hard to set a higher target for the recovery, recycling and re-use of e-waste. When treated properly our old electrical equipment needs not be rubbish but a valuable raw material."
"The new rules will make clearer what used items can be legally exported. This will help to curb the criminals who ship electronic gadgets overseas where it is dismantled by children and the poor often in hazardous and toxic conditions.
"We have responsibility to the environment and to the world to ensure that our waste must not become another country's or another person's poison."
Note to editors
To the Environmental Investigation Agency report on the UK's harmful trade in electronic waste can be seen here:
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