Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (Hansard, 19 April 2004)

§ Norman Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how the anticipated funds to be generated through the retail compliance scheme under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive will be distributed in order to develop an adequate collection infrastructure across the UK. [163093]

§ Mr. Morley
No decision has yet been made about how the funds will be distributed to establish an adequate collection network. The Government are currently discussing the details of the retailer compliance scheme with the British Retail Consortium.

§ Norman Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what factors underlie her decision to ring fence £5 million of the proposed retail fund for local authority collection infrastructure under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. [163094]
159W

§ Mr. Morley
Local authorities are well placed to collect waste electrical and electronic equipment at civic amenity sites as they have a well established collection infrastructure already in place. The WEEE Directive, however, does not place any obligations on local authorities, and the Government have said that any new burdens placed on local authorities as a result of the WEEE Directive should be properly financed.
Under the proposals put forward in the most recent consultation paper on the WEEE Directive, local authorities would be able to bid into a ring-fenced retailer fund to upgrade their facilities to collect separately WEEE. The level of this funding (initially set at £5 million per annum for years 2005–10, with a review in 2008) was determined by a study carried out by consultants on behalf of Defra.

§ Norman Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how her Department intends to(a) encourage reuse of waste electrical and electronic equipment and (b) maintain the role of charity organisations in the collection of waste electrical and electronic equipment. [163095]

§ Mr. Morley
Reuse of whole appliances is given priority in the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, and the Government have asked for views from stakeholders on how best this should be done in the most recent consultation paper on the implementation of the WEEE Directive. The UK has a good network of charitable organisations that refurbish and reuse WEEE, and the Government are keen for this to continue.

§ Norman Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how her Department intends to protect existing retail from take-back activities and reduce the likelihood of them being withdrawn, with particular reference to white goods, under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. [163097]

§ Mr. Morley
The current proposals for a retailer compliance scheme encourage retailers to continue their existing take back schemes, and establish new schemes. Formal consultation has recently ended but discussions continue with interested parties on the best practical way forward.

§ Norman Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department expects to provide definitive information to businesses with duties under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive on its scope across equipment categories. [163098]

§ Mr. Morley
The Government expect to issue draft guidance on the scope of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive in late spring this year, alongside draft implementing regulations.

§ Norman Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how the regulating authorities will ensure that the visible fee shown on consumer prices represents only the collection, treatment and disposal costs incurred by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. [163099]
160W

§ Mr. Morley
No decision has yet been taken on the question of a visible fee. The Government are currently analysing the responses to the recent consultation on the implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, and considering representations from industry on this issue.

§ Norman Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how her Department plans to(a) enable compliance and (b) enforce the regulations in the case of internet and mail order sellers when they fall under the scope of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. [163100]

§ Mr. Morley
The proposals set out in the most recent consultation Paper or the implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive were that producers would have to register as a condition of placing products on the market. The Paper asked for views from stakeholders on how best to implement and enforce this. The Government are currently analysing the responses.

§ Norman Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food arid Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the potential impact of other legislation which will interact with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment 'Directive, with specific reference to(a) the Batteries Directive and (b) the impending changes to the UK's hazardous waste classification and licensing system. [163101]

§ Mr. Morley
A draft proposal for a new batteries Directive has now bee put forward by the Commission and is currently being considered by Member States and the European Parliament, which is expected to hold a First Reading on 19 April. The Government are keen to ensure that the text of the final Batteries Directive and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive are complementary. Talks are underway internally to ensure that mutual objectives are achieved, and the Government will also work to ensure that the batteries proposals are consistent with other waste legislation.
The interaction with the changes to the UK's hazardous waste classification system is being assessed in the ongoing review of hazardous waste legislation.
Defra is currently reviewing the existing waste management licensing system and intends to replace it with a new permitting regime. Under this new regime, the degree of regulation will be proportionate to the risks posed by different waste recovery and disposal activities. The new regime will include the transposition of the supplementary permitting requirements of the WEEE Directive and the future Batteries Directive as well as the permitting of the recovery and disposal of hazardous wastes.