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In Europe, Sony has established systems for the collection and recycling of waste electrical and electronic products with the aim of achieving extended producer responsibility while encouraging competition in the recycling market.
In the European Union (EU), the Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (the WEEE Directive) requires manufacturers of electrical and electronic products to organize and finance the collection and the recycling of end-of-life products.
To comply with the WEEE Directive, in December 2002 Sony and several other manufacturers established the European Recycling Platform (ERP). As of May 31, 2007, the ERP was conducting such activities in seven countries—Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, France and Poland—and was in the process of establishing collection and recycling schemes in Italy and the United Kingdom. In northern Europe, Sony established the Nordic Electronics Recycling Association (NERA) and legal entities for this association in Denmark and Finland in 2005. The legal entities are currently conducting collection and recycling in conformance with WEEE Directive-related legislation and regulations in both countries.
For EU member countries other than the 11 listed in the preceding paragraph, as well as such non-EU member countries as Norway and Switzerland, Sony cooperates with recycling organizations that undertake recycling in lieu of manufacturers to ensure its products are recycled in a manner that complies with the WEEE Directive or related legislation and regulations in each country.
In 2006, Sony spent approximately 9.35 million euros to recycle around 14,700 tons of waste electrical and electronics products in Europe.
In numerous European countries, producers are legally responsible for the collection and recycling of waste from packaging and batteries. Sony fulfills this obligation through membership in collection and recycling schemes wherever applicable. In 2006, Sony spent around 3 million euros to recycle packaging and batteries in Europe. |
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| Sony's WEEE Directive Compliance System |
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