UK energy
minister Malcolm Wicks announced that the Waste Electrical and
Electronic Equipment directive (WEEE) has been pushed back until at
least June 2006.
The go-live date had already been delayed five months to this
month, but the minister believed that more time was needed to work
out implementation details.
WEEE is intended to make makers and users of technology take
responsibility for equipment disposal.
The UK is one of seven other European countries facing legal action
from the European Commission for failing to make the directive
law.
But Intellect, the trade body for the hi-tech industry, welcomes
the announcement.
“Whist the UK hi-tech industry is supportive of all measures
designed to protect the environment, we are also committed to
ensuring that the legislation which emerges from the consultation
process is both equitable and workable for all producers of
electric and electronic equipment,” says John Higgins, Intellect’s
director general..
