Support Website on Environmental Management Information and ISO 14001 EMS for E&E Sector SMEs

Select Menu

Main Content

What are the pressing environmental issues for E&E sector?-INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

REVIEW REPORT FOR THE ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC SECTOR

4. INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

This section presents the latest and upcoming international requirements to be imposed on the electrical and electronic sector, focusing on developments in Europe, Japan and the United States of America^[1].

^[1]More information can be obtained from the Trade Development Council publication, "Getting Green - Growing Demand in Overseas Markets", 2004 (researched and written by the Business Environment Council)

4.1 Environmental Requirements in Europe

Environmental regulatory requirements for electrical and electronic products exist at both the European Union (EU) and national levels. For EU directives, they include (i) those adopted to implement EU-wide environmental management strategies, requiring member states to develop their own product-related legislation and strategies in order to fulfil the overall EU direction; and (ii) those primarily for harmonising practices between the Member States, allowing only products complying with the directive requirements to be placed in the EU. Directives applicable to the electrical and electronic sector include:

	Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive 2002 (Directive 2002/96/EC)
	Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive 2002 (ROHS) (Directive 2002/95/EC)
	Directive 2000/55/EC on energy efficiency requirements for ballast for fluorescent lighting 2000 - The purpose of the directive is to achieve cost-effective energy savings in fluorescent lighting, which would not otherwise be achieved with other measures. This directive covers only newly produced ballasts, which are responsible for high energy consumption and offer considerable potential for energy savings.
	Directive 96/57/EC on energy efficiency requirements for household electric refrigerators, freezers and combination 1996 - The purpose of the directive is to lay down minimum energy efficiency standards for household refrigeration appliances sold in the European Union.
	Packaging Directive 1994 (Directive 94/62/EC) - The Directive aims to harmonise national measures concerning the management of packaging and packaging waste in order to provide a high level of environmental protection and to ensure the functioning of the internal market.
	Nickel Directive 1994 (Directive 94/27/EC) - The directive limit the use of Nickel in item intended to come into contact with BROKEN skin or to come into close and prolonged contact with skin.
	Energy Labelling Directive 1992 (Directive 92/75/EEC) - The directive is to introduce the energy labelling scheme for household electric refrigerators, freezers and their combinations
	Batteries Directive 1991 (Directives 91/157/ECC and 98/101/EC) and Battery Marking Directive 1993 (Directive 93/86/EEC) - The directive is to approximate the laws of the Member States on the recovery and controlled disposal of those spent batteries and accumulators containing dangerous substances in accordance with Annex I of the Directive
	Directive 86/594/ECC on airborne noise emitted by household appliances 1986 - This directive is to establish general principles on the publication of information on noise emitted by household appliances, the measuring methods for determining the noise and the arrangements for monitoring the levels of noise emitted by household appliances.

Internet resources of the Directives are given as Appendix F.

Two of the most pressing Directives, on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (ROHS), are further elaborated below.

4.1.1 The ROHS and WEEE EU Directives

The Restriction of Hazardous Substances (ROHS) and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directives have been introduced to restrict the types of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment and require manufacturers to be responsible for the collection, recovery and recycling of used products, respectively.

The ROHS will ban the sale in the EU of certain categories of electrical and electronic equipment containing (or manufactured using) certain banned substances from the 1st July 2006^[2]. The ban applies to six substances; lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium and two flame retardants; polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE). There are some limited exemptions but the ban on lead in solders will have the greatest impact on electrical equipment manufacturers in terms of the work and investment in new equipment required to switch to alternative lead-free materials.

The WEEE is designed to tackle the fast increasing waste stream of electrical and electronic equipment and complements EU measures on landfill and incineration of waste. Increased recycling of electrical and electronic equipment will limit the total quantity of waste going to final disposal. Producers will be responsible for taking back and recycling electrical and electronic equipment. This will provide incentives to design electrical and electronic equipment in an environmentally more efficient way, which takes waste management aspects fully into account. Consumers will be able to return their equipment free of charge^[3].

Both Directives were published on 13 February 2003. All Member States of the EU have to transpose the Directive into national legislation by 13 August 2004. Details of these Directives are provided in Appendix G and summarized in Table 4.1a and 4.1b.

^[^2]The use of these chemicals in certain products is exempted. The EU recognises that feasibility of the phase-out time table depend on if alternative technologies are available.

^[3]Information from Europa (http://europa.eu)

Table 4.1a Outline of the WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC

Aims

reduce the waste arising from electrical and electronic equipment; and
improve the environmental performance of all those involved in the life cycle of electrical and electronic equipment.

Highlights

private householders will be able to return their WEEE to collection facilities free of charge; and producers (manufacturers, sellers, distributors) will be responsible for financing the collection, treatment, recovery and disposal of WEEE from private households deposited at these collection facilities;
producers will be responsible for financing the collection, treatment, recovery and disposal of WEEE from users rather than private householders;
The separate collection symbol for electrical and electronic equipment: Large and small household appliance; IT and telecommunication equipment; consumer equipment; lighting equipment; electrical and electronic tools; medical equipment systems; monitoring and control instruments; and automatic dispensers;
Producers will also be responsible for financing the management of WEEE from products placed on the market. However, it may be possible for all or part of these costs to be recovered from users other than private householders; and
producers will be required to achieve a series of demanding recycling and recovery targets for different categories of appliance.

Key milestones

From 13 August 2005

Member States are to minimise the disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) as unsorted municipal waste and are to set up separate collection systems for WEEE.
financing is to be covered by producers in the case of waste from holders other than private households and placed on the market after that date

By 31 December 2006 at the latest

a rate of separate collection of at least 4 kg on average per inhabitant per year of waste electrical and electronic equipment from private households must be achieved.

Table 4.1b Outline of the ROHS Directive (2002/95/EC)

Aims

protect human health and the environment by restricting the use of certain hazardous substances in new equipment;
complement the WEEE Directive

Highlights

New electrical and electronic equipment will not contain lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls or polybrominated diphenyl ethers;
Certain applications are exempt from the requirements of the Directive including mercury in certain types of fluorescent lamps, lead in the glass of cathode ray tubes, electronic components and fluorescent tubes, lead in electronic ceramic parts and hexavalent chromium as an anti-corrosion of the carbon steel cooling system in absorption refrigerators. The exemptions will be reviewed every four years;
Information about hazardous substances in and the proper disposal methods of the electrical and electronic products; and
Before 13 February 2005 the European Commission will review the terms of the Directive to take into account any new scientific evidence.

Key milestones

By 13 February 2005

the Commission will review the provisions of the Directive, in particular as regards the feasibility of widening its scope and adapting the list of substances it covers so as to take account of new scientific facts

From 1 July 2006

lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in electrical and electronic equipment must be replaced by other substances.

4.1.2 Related Environmental Labeling Schemes in the European Market

Electrical and electronic sector related environmental labeling schemes in the European Market are identified in Table 4.1c below.

Table 4.1c Related Environmental Labeling Schemes in the European Market

E&E Product categories

Applicable environmental labels

Household appliances

(e.g. white goods, air conditioners, cookers; except lighting equipment

EU Eco-label
Blue Angel
Nordic Swan
Energy

Household/consumer electronic equipment

(e.g. TV sets, stereos, VCR, mobile phone)

EU Eco-label
Blue Angel
TCO (mobile phone only)
Nordic Swan
AENOR Medio Ambiente
GEEA Energy Efficiency Label

Computers and peripherals

(e.g. personal/portable computers, system units, printers, display units)

EU Eco-label
Blue Angel
TCO
Nordic Swan
AENOR Medio Ambiente
EU Energy Star
GEEA Energy Efficiency Label

Lighting equipment (e.g. light bulbs, electronic ballasts for fluorescent lamps)

EU Eco-label
Blue Angel

Batteries

(e.g. primary batteries, rechargeable batteries)

Blue Angel
Nordic Swan

4.2 Environmental Requirements in Japan

4.2.1 Environmental Legislation

Japanese legislation concerning environmental performance of electrical and electronic products does not set down mandatory requirements but serves to provide guiding principles for manufacturers to design their products or products with environmental features. Voluntary measures among domestic manufacturers, although not imposed on imported products, nonetheless shape the electrical and electronic product profile in the Japanese as well as the global market (e.g. Japan is the world's leader in phasing out lead solders in electrical and electronic equipment). Examples include:

	Revised Recycling Law 1995 (Formally known as the Law for Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources) - The Law is to promote product designs that facilitate waste reduction, recycling, and reuse. In 2001, the law was revised to address personal computers.
	Containers and Packaging Recycling Law 1997 (Formally known as Law for Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging) - The Law is to make glass containers and plastic, or "PET" (polyethylene terephthalate), bottles "designated containers/packaging" for recycling. Collection and recycling became obligatory in April 1997 (including home appliances).
	Home Appliance Recycling Law 1998 (Formally known as the Law for Recycling of Specified Kinds of Home Appliances) - The Law is to make Manufacturers and sellers of home appliances are obligated to take back used home appliances and to recycle retrieved used home appliances.
	Energy Conservation Law 1998 (Formally known as the Law Concerning the Rational Use of Energy) - The Law is to contribute to the sound development of the national economy through implementing necessary measures for the rational use of energy in factories, buildings, and machinery and equipment, and other necessary measures to promote comprehensively the rational use of energy in order to ensure the effective use of fuel resources.

Internet resources of the Directives are given as Appendix F.

4.2.2 Related Environmental Labeling Schemes in the Japanese Market

Electrical and electronic sector related environmental labeling schemes in the Japanese market are identified in Table 4.2a below.

Table 4.2a Related Environmental Labeling Schemes in the Japanese Market

Consumer electrical and electronic equipment

Applicable Labels

Computers and peripherals

(Personal computers, notebook computers, printers, displays, scanners)

Eco Mark
Energy Star
PC Green Label
EcoLeaf

Household/consumer electronic equipment

(TV sets, cameras)

Energy Saving Label
EcoLeaf

Communications equipment

(Fax machines and multi-functional devices)

Energy Star
EcoLeaf

Household electrical appliances

(Air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers

Energy Saving Label

Lighting equipment

(Fluorescent lamps)

Energy Saving Label

4.3 Environmental Requirements in the United States of America

4.3.1 Environmental Legislation

Electrical and electronic products environmental requirements in the US are from federal and state legislation, green claims guidelines and environmental labeling schemes. In the US, E&E related environmental legislation prescribes the environmental standards and/or the way of disclosing environmental performance information for specific types of products. To import the affected products, foreign manufacturers must ensure these requirements are fulfilled. Examples of these US environmental legislation and requirements are given below include:

	Battery Act 1996 (formally known as Mercury-Containing Rechargeable Battery Management Act) - The Law is to phase out the use of mercury in batteries and provide for the efficient and cost-effective collection and recycling or proper disposal of used nickel cadmium batteries, small sealed lead-acid batteries, and certain other batteries, and for other purposes.
	Federal Energy Efficiency Law 1995 - The Law is to provide drive for energy efficiency in the design and manufacturing of refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, water heaters, clothes washers, furnaces, room air conditioners, central air conditioners, heat pumps, fluorescent lamps ballasts, fluorescent lamps and incandescent lamps.
	State electronic waste legislation and mandatory electronic take back programme^[4]- different laws and regulation to set up systems for take-back and disposal of used electronic products (e.g. computers, peripherals, cathode ray electronics), or paying an upfront recovery fee.