Regulatory Activities
- The European Council Directive on "Waste from
Electrical and Electronic Equipment" (WEEE)
proposes restrictions on the use of Pb (lead) among
other materials in electronic products. On October
10, 2002 the European Council and European
Parliament reached an agreement to set a target date
of July 1, 2006 for a ban on hazardous materials
including lead.
- In addition to the Environmental Directorate's two
proposals, the Enterprise Directorate has released a
draft for a new directive concerning Electrical and
Electronic Equipment (EEE). The Enterprise
Directorate believes this document offers a new
approach in addressing materials currently used in
electrical and electronic equipment that the WEEE
might consider banning.
- The Japanese Ministry of International Trade has
set the following targets:
- In April of 1997, the amount of Pb used for
automobiles, except for batteries:
- End of 2000, be reduced "to half
compared to 1996 by the end of 2000".
- End of 2005, be reduced to one third.
- Introduced legislation promoting the recycling
of household electric appliances, to reclaim all
Pb used starting in 2001.
- Household electric appliances
manufacturers are already working towards
the creation of completely Pb Phase-out
products.
- U.S. EPA announced on July 29, 1999, a proposed
rule to drastically lower reporting thresholds for
Pb and Pb compounds to the Toxic Release Inventory
from 10,000 lbs. to 10 lbs.
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