International development charity
Computer Aid
International has welcomed the European Commission's proposals
to strengthen the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
Directive, but says the move doesn't go far enough.
The charity's CEO Louise Richards has voiced support over moves
to include re-using whole appliances in the recycling and re-use
targets, but rebukes the EC's failure to put in place specific
targets for re-use as part of the WEEE Directive.
Richards said, "Computer Aid has been campaigning for the
WEEE Directive to be reviewed for some time, so we
wholeheartedly welcome moves by the EC to update the legislation,
which is falling short in its aims to prevent the generation of
e-waste and reduce the quantity discarded.
"It is encouraging to see that re-using whole appliances will be
included in the overall recycling target. In the case of PCs, 75%
of the energy consumed over the entire lifecycle of the equipment
has already been used before it's turned on for the first time, so
it's essential that we maximise their productive life."
However, the charity questions the EC's decision to maintain a
combined recycling and re-use target. According to the EC, the
flexibility to choose the most sustainable treatment option (re-use
or recycling) would remain, reasoning it would avoid making re-use
an unattractive option by needing to meet higher recycling targets,
even when this might be more economically and socially
valuable.
According to Richards, specific targets must be set: "The EC has
placed renewed emphasis on combining recycling and re-use targets
to cut out deterrents to adopting re-use, but why have they not
gone one step further and placed specific targets on re-using
equipment that is in working order?
"With research showing it's 20 times better for the environment
to re-use PCs, for example, it is our hope that in the future the
directive will ensure 100% of functioning appliances are
re-used."
The EC report also confirms that the illegal trade of e-waste to
non-EU countries is still widespread. This was an issue highlighted
by Computer Aid in September, through the launch of a
petition.
The petition called for the government to provide the
Environment Agency with the resources to effectively police the
WEEE Directive, to prevent the UK's electrical waste being
illegally exported and dumped in countries such as Ghana, Nigeria
and China.
An Authorised & Approved Treatment Facility (AATF) for WEEE
and licensed by the Environment Agency, Computer Aid offers a full
removal and decommissioning service to UK businesses who wish to
donate PCs and laptops.
All donated equipment is data-wiped to a military standard using
Blancco data removal software, and refurbishment allows for at
least another three years of re-use.
The charity has refurbished more than 130,000 PCs and laptops,
which are being used to support development projects in countries
such as Kenya, Madagascar and Zambia.