In February 2003 European Parliament passes two directives:
- Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) 2002/96/EC,
- Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) 2002/95 EC.
WEEE directive takes effect sinse 13th September 2005. Its aim is to reduce threats connected with production and usage of electric and electronic equipment, which has been removed from exploitation.
This directive states that every company selling electric and electronic devices is obliged to register their actions connected with return and reuse of used equipment from client in the way that following aims must be met:
- 75 % of waste is collected (by average weight od device)
- 65 % of collected parts, materials and substance is recycled (by agerage weight of device)
Additionaly every device sold after 1st June must be marked with a symbol of striked-through recycle bin. This symbol mean that device shall not be trashed on landfills.
RoHS directive takes effect since 1st June 2006 and it place limits usage of various dangerous substances like lead, mercury and hexavalent chromium, cadmium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) in electric and electronic devices.
