WEEE Directive

Definition

The European Commission's WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) Directive makes makers responsible for taking back and recycling the large majority of electric and electronic equipment products.
Beginning on August 13, 2005, the makers have been required to bear the cost burden of the collection and recycling of their products sold in the EU.

The WEEE Directive is a response to the rapid increase in issues related to the disposal of electric and electronic equipment and aims to supplement to EU measures for landfill and incineration wastes. The EU expects the directive to result in more recycling and less waste volume from electrical and electronic equipment. Placing the burden of collection and recycling on the product manufacturers is expected to provide incentive to manufactures to consider waste management during the product design stages and

lead to the production of electric and electronic equipment with higher environmental efficiency. The consumer is to bear no cost for the returning of the products. The directive is rooted in the concept of a "broad responsibility of the manufacturer" beyond the production and use of their products through the complete product cycle to disposal or recycling.