Although the driver for environmentally friendly electronic and electrical products has been prevelant for many years, it has only been recent that the need to legislate these products has moved from being consumer led to legislative led. With increasing numbers of consumer electronics and electrical equipment, it has come to a point where the issue became recognized in legislation.
The EU (European Union) Directive on RoHS (Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment) and the WEEE Directive (Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment) which covers the recyclability of equipment have put in place guidlines for the handling of such equipment and the materials they are made from. Although there is no current federal legislation similar to RoHS or WEEE in the United States, some states have adopted legislation mirroring that of the EU Directives.
What products are affected?
- Household appliances
- IT and telecommunication equipment
- Consumer equipment
- Lighting
- Electrical and electronic tools (except large scale stationary industrial tools)
- Toys, leisure, and sports equipment
- Automatic dispensers
- Medical devices
- Monitoring and control instruments
While these directives apply to products manufactured primarily for the EU, AttaBox® Industrial Enclosures has evaluated its products for compliance to both directives. WEEE legislation is aimed primarily at the end use product and does not specifically address empty enclosures. It is our opinion therefore that our empty enclosure products are not covered under the WEEE directive. As always, AttaBox® Industrial Enclosures will continue to monitor the development of these and other regulations and reporting requirements for our products and services to keep you abreast of changing market conditions and requirements.