§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to ensure that incentives are in place for the eco-design of products. [71936]
§ Mr. WilsonBoth the Department and my colleagues in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are involved in the negotiation and implementation of a number of EC initiatives that are concerned with the eco-design of products. In addition, as part of their promotional effort to stimulate the adoption of waste minimisation and cleaner techniques within business, the Departments jointly sponsor the Envirowise programme to run workshops and publish design guides specifically to promote cleaner design.
At European level, a Commission Green Paper on the establishment of a framework of Integrated Product Policy (IPP) was published in February last year. This aims to improve the environmental performance of a wide range of products throughout their life cycle.
The Commission also published the first draft for a directive on the impact on the environment of electrical and electronic equipment, known as the EEE proposals, last year. These proposals aim to harmonise European requirements concerning the design of electrical and electronic products to minimise their overall impact on the environment.
In addition, the final negotiating stages of a directive on the waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) are currently taking place. This will encourage elements of eco-design by placing recycling costs on producers.