An important development in the drafting of the WEEE Directive this week (3 February 2011) has been that MEPs voted to approve changes by 580 votes in favour, 37 against and 22 abstentions.
This means there will be a tightening of rules on WEEE throughout the EU in order to achieve new targets of 85% WEEE generated in member states to be collected and between 50-75% recycling of WEEE by 2016. Member states will also be required to achieve by 2012 a targetof 4kg/capita WEEE collected or the equivalent amount of WEEE collected in 2010 whichever is greater.
Ultimately, these changes will mean greater control of WEEE throughout the European Union and greater environmental protection but the process continues when environment ministers will resume their discussions on the draft Directive next month.