Valpak calls for review for "ambitious" B2B WEEE date

Valpak welcomed the increased clarity from the draft regulations and guidance published by the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) on the implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive.

Head of WEEE services Mike Sadler said the Government’s proposals held no great surprises for the company.

It supported the main principles underlying the UK implementation of the directive including the encouragement of competition between producer compliance schemes, a system for calculating producer obligations based on their market share, the timely appointment of a single national collection scheme for retailers, and the opportunities for the various producer compliance schemes to work together.

But Sadler warned that the key milestones identified by the DTI must now be met “as a matter of urgency”.

He added: “We still have some concerns: on the short period being allowed for the recruitment of producers following the approval of compliance schemes; on the frequency of data that producers will be expected to produce; and on the timing of B2B WEEE obligations.”

While full obligations for household WEEE start on July 1 2007, similar responsibilities for non-household or B2B WEEE are expected to start on April 1 2007. Valpak called for the review of the “ambitious” date set for non-household WEEE.

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