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 Sometimes, even worse, broken and out-of-date equipment can end up in towns or villages, creating  potentially hazardous health situations: leaking chemicals, fire hazards, and the like.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!