Companies Aim to Make WEEE Compliance Easier

Add another item to that long list of things that sounds much easier in theory than it actually is in practice: WEEE compliance. While companies have performed beyond admirably in meeting, and often surpassing, the recycling standards set out by the WEEE directive, it’s doubtful that many compliance managers would say it’s been an easy task. Chalk one up for a full embrace of CSR (corporate social responsibility). Recycling outsourcing firms are nothing new in WEEE nations, but this company is looking to step up the offering with a full closed-loop recycling service.

So what exactly is a closed-loop recycling system? After all, we know that the WEEE directive already calls for manufacturers to take responsibility for the end of an electronic product’s life cycle, not just its beginning. In the closed-loop structure proposed by WEEE Systems, the difference lies in the methods and oversight of those end-of-cycle concerns. The major change? At this time, most e-waste recycling is outsourced overseas, where manufacturers don’t really know what happens once the discarded equipment leaves port. Sometimes it is legitimately recycled, and sometimes it ends up in an illegal scrap heap. Sometimes, even worse, broken and out-of-date equipment can end up in towns or villages, creating  potentially hazardous health situations: leaking chemicals, fire hazards, and the like.

WEEE Systems will have a domestic facility that not only recycles obsolete parts, but also gives manufacturers the opportunity to reuse or repurpose this equipment, greatly increasing cost efficiency. The capper is that as initial partners, manufacturers will have a financial stake in WEEE Systems’ recycling facility, further bolstering its chances of success.

Any attempt at even greater accountability than that already assumed by manufacturers is a good thing, and WEEE Systems seems to be aiming to make it as simple as possible. We look forward to learning more about their progress, and remain committed to e-waste compliance with our own products.

Total Acquisition Management Takes the Headaches Out of Production

Dealing with overseas suppliers can present a host of difficulties, from price negotiations, to long delivery times, to good, old-fashioned language barriers. At Etratech, we developed our Total Acquisition Management™ (T.A.M.) system to do our best to alleviate some of these issues for our customers, giving them the time to focus on what they do best: innovation and creation. Prior to T.A.M., we had heard innumerable tales of woe from our partners, detailing countless hours on the phone or at the keyboard, agonizing over pricing decisions and complications, and sometimes even giving up on more favorable rates to simply get the process over with. With T.A.M., situations like this are no longer a concern.

As you might imagine, products like control systems are used by all different types of companies, large and small. Another factor behind our creation of the T.A.M. program was getting tired of seeing our loyal smaller customers subject to aggressive pricing by suppliers, while our larger customers were able to use volume to negotiate better terms. T.A.M. allows us to leverage our buying power to provide better deals for all of our clients, regardless of size: the small shop up the street can get the same raw material rates as the international multi-million unit electronics manufacturer. For more details on T.A.M., and to begin the process of joining, contact us or visit our Total Acquisition Management page.

A Comprehensive Look at RoHS

Our business here at Etratech is in electronics manufacturing, but one of our great concerns is sustainability and the environment. In an industry like ours, it can sometimes be difficult to keep those priorities at the forefront of one’s mind. Luckily, there are sets of rules and regulations to ensure that safe and responsible manufacturing practices are developed and followed. You’ve read a lot in our blog so far about the latest news in RoHS and WEEE, but what’s the background behind all of it?

This infographic  showcases an easily digestible history of RoHS, the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive. The world’s biggest manufacturing nations are all signed on with some version of the directive: The U.S., China, South Korea, the European Union, and, in 2012, India. Looking back, you might remember that it’s only fairly recently that we were aware of the dangers of substances like mercury and lead – before that, they were found in places like domestic paint, drinking water, and even children’s books. The RoHS, enacted in 2003, was part of a long process that began in 1988, when recognition of those dangers reached a critical mass.

Keep reading our posts for more information about the evolving role of RoHS in worldwide manufacturing!

Crime Stoppers: UK WEEE Prosecution Underway

When you think of crime stings, familiar images from movies and television probably come to mind: the violent bad guy brought down by brave policemen, or rings of illicit substances broken up by dedicated agents. Of course, there are other bad guys out there with stories perhaps not as ready-made for dramatic TV shows, but just as callous and dangerous. The UK is currently making its case against a group of such defendants, accused of illegally exporting waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) for disposal in Nigeria, against regulations.

The benefits of WEEE compliance far outweigh its costs, but there will always be the few, trying to save money or time by working outside the lines. By inspecting outgoing shipping containers – in scenes that actually bring to mind at least one popular television program, The Wire – UK inspectors discovered the illegal export of 158 tons of contraband refuse. Rather than safe and contained disposal, these hazardous components would have been disassembled and discarded by children and poor workers overseas, in addition to setting back the goals of the UK’s compliance program.

Etratech will keep a close eye on the developments in this case. For more WEEE and RoHS news, stay tuned to our blog!

China Gets on Board with RoHS

At Etratech, our vested interest in the environment leads us to some interesting places when following world developments in this area. It can almost be like watching a tennis match, with our necks craning back and forth as promising international developments and commitments occur, only to be followed up with discouraging news on pollution, abuse of the environment, and worse. Of course, we’d like to bring some good news to our loyal blog audience, which takes us to the big events in China this month.

In the works for five years, an RoHS-like law took effect in China on November 1, 2011. Please forgive this posting’s misleading headline – it was easier than saying “China Gets on Board with RoHS-esque Voluntary Compliance Directive,” which is more accurate. That’s not to take away from the directive’s effectiveness, or our optimism at the influence that such a major manufacturing market might have on the rest of the world. Just like RoHS, China’s new law, called the Administration on the Control of Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products, will keep hazardous and restricted materials out of a number of common electronic  devices, including computers, televisions, phones, and more.

Unlike the standard RoHS, compliance with China’s law is voluntary. So why would manufacturers choose to follow it, besides their realization that it’s the right thing to do? For one thing, compliant products will be labeled as such, giving consumers a clear idea of which products are safer to bring into their homes. For another, manufacturers who choose to comply will receive preferential treatment in government procurement agreements. We’re excited for this and more developments in the ongoing quest for environmental consciousness and consumer safety.

WEEE Collection Disagreement Solved?

Scorekeeping. From our earliest introduction to games of any type, the questions arise: not only who will keep count, but how will they do so? A similar issue comes up whenever benchmarks and standards are put into effect, and Europe’s Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is no exception. From its inception in 2003, there has been controversy over how electronic scrap and recovery will be recorded. The two opposing schools of thought are that numbers should be based either on actual waste generated, or on the quantity of electrical components placed on the market.

Three European trade organizations, FEAD, EERA, and EUROMETAUX, have suggested what’s probably the simplest solution: a compromise between the two. As you might imagine, that might be easier suggested than achieved, but the proposal certainly sounds feasible: establish new benchmarks that are tabulated in terms of waste generated, but also take the amount of electrical and electronic equipment placed on the market into account. We at Etratech look forward to a solution that proves most in line with our continuing commitment to sustainable production, For more information, click here.