Memorandum submitted by Static Control
(E18)
I am writing to you as chairman of the Environment
Select Committee about our serious concerns regarding the Government's
proposed implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic
Equipment (WEEE) Directive. We believe the Government's proposal
will have grave implications for the environment, business choice
and the revenues received by charities involved in recycling.
As you may be aware, the WEEE Directives came
into force on 13 February 2003 with all EU Member States required
to transpose the Directives into national law by 13 August 2004.
The Directive encourages and sets criteria for the collection,
treatment, recycling and recovery of waste electrical and electronic
equipment.
At present the UK Government does not consider
printer cartridges to be included within the scope of the Directive,
despite both the intention of MEPs and the overwhelming environmental
and business benefits to be gained by their inclusion. This exclusion
seriously threatens the future of the cartridge remanufacturing
industry and by implication the ability of the charity sector
to collect and resell cartridges.
We are campaigning hard for the Government's
position to be reversed and hope you will support our efforts.
I hope therefore you will consider signing EDM no 1319, which
has all party support (apologies if you have already done so),
and will make representations to the relevant Government ministers:
Stephen Timms MP and Elliot Morley MP.
The Government has the opportunity to encourage
remanufacturing of printer cartridges which is environmentally
more effective than recycling and provides business with cheaper
equally efficient alternatives. There is, therefore, no logical
reason why they continue to refuse to countenance including cartridges.
23 October 2003
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