Materials Resource Waste 'Finnished'

During a recent informal Council in Turku, Finland, the EU environment ministers discussed a proposal of the current Finnish EU Presidency to work for a “new generation of environmental policy”. Under the slogan "less is more", the Finnish Presidency presented plans to promote eco-efficiency and integrate material and energy efficiency into all EU policies. Three key objectives form the basis of the Finnish initiative:

• the sustainable use of natural resources ("less can be more") which aims at de-coupling material flows and resource use from economic growth;
• the shift from the present EU environment policy based on the needs for the internal market to one for the whole planet – a “one planet” environmental policy – which includes ideas for the establishment of a United Nations Environmental Organisation and a Panel on Natural Resources;
• smarter and more effective decision-making, using all methods, including legislation, effective market instruments and dialogue with stakeholders and civil society.

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WEEE Consultation

The European Commission has launched an ‘Information Gathering Exercise’ to provide data for the forthcoming review of the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive. Information should be in the form: statistics; factual information about operations; costs and benefits; scientific and technical information; but not opinions. Contributions are sought from interested parties in areas including:

• Waste streams – current flows of WEEE;
• Future resource markets (likely trends, potential future markets);
• Re-use (current levels of re-use, opportunities, barriers, best and worst practice);
• Collection and collection-scheme operation (administrative requirements, capacity, funding of schemes);
• Impact of producer responsibility provisions of the WEEE Directive and or their implementation;
• Technology to treat, process or dispose of WEEE (capacities and outputs of existing and future technologies).

The deadline for submitting information is 11th August 2006 either via post or email ENV-WEEE@ec.europa.eu

UK Consultation:

Meanwhile the Government has published its proposals for draft legislation to implement the WEEE Directive at a national level. Key proposals include a network of designated collection, treatment and reprocessing facilities for waste equipment. A consultation has opened with a 17th October deadline. Further details on the DTI website.

For more on the WEEE Directive see the DG Environment website.