Subject Report Updated: Batteries in Ireland
Mon, 05 Jan 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Ireland has transposed the EU Battery Directive 2006/66 of 6 September 2006 through Statutory Instrument 268 of 2008 “Waste Management (Batteries and Accumulators) Regulations 2008” (hereinafter the “Regulation”). It was adopted on 16 July 2008 and entered into force on 26 September 2008. The Environmental Protection agency and the Local Authorities are responsible for the application and enforcement of the Regulation. More >>

Subject Report Updated: Batteries in Denmark
Mon, 05 Jan 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Denmark has transposed the EU Battery Directive 2006/66 of 6 September 2006 through a regulation entitled “Bekendtgørelse om import og salg samt eksport af batterier og akkumulatorer” (hereinafter the “Regulation”). The Regulation was adopted on 23 September 2008 and entered into force on 26 September 2008. More >>

Mercosul Wants to Implement Waste Policy Targeting Electronics
Mon, 05 Jan 2009 06:00:00 GMT

At the last meeting of the Ministers of the Environment from Mercosul members (Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil with Chile as Associate Member), the group agreed to focus efforts on implementing their two-year old Policy on the Environmental Management of Special Universal Wastes and Post-Consumer Responsibility (the “Special Waste Policy”). (See Link below for details on the Policy.) As the Ministers noted during their meeting, in the absence of a regional approach, the member States have been taking action on their own. It appears as though electronics and batteries are at the top of both national and regional agendas in South America. More >>

Subject Report Updated: Batteries in Malta
Sun, 04 Jan 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Malta has transposed the EU Battery Directive 2006/66 of 6 September 2006 through the Product Safety Act, Batteries and Accumulators Regulations, 2007 (L.N 311 of 2007) issued by the Minister for Competitiveness and Communications. The Regulations were published on 23 October 2007 and entered into force, retroactively, on 26 September 2008. More >>

Subject Report Updated: Batteries in the UK
Sun, 04 Jan 2009 06:00:00 GMT

The United Kingdom transposed the new EU Battery Directive (Directive 2006/66) through Statutory Instrument No 2164/2008 “the Batteries and Accumulators (Placing on the Market) Regulations 2008, (the “Battery Regulations”). The Battery Regulations entered into force on the 26 September 2008. More >>

UNEP Workshops Will Explore Chemicals and Heavy Metals in Products As Inputs Into ICCM-2
Sat, 03 Jan 2009 06:00:00 GMT

The UN Environment Program (UNEP) is convening three international workshops in February that are potentially relevant to the electronics and IT sectors. The meetings will be held sequentially in Geneva, beginning February 9, and are designed to produce inputs for further discussion and possible action at the upcoming triennial high-level International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM-2), in May 2009. ICCM-1 launched the process known as the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), which also operates under UNEP auspices. More >>

New Law Bans Import of Hazardous Wastes in Colombia
Sat, 03 Jan 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Late last month, Colombia adopted a long-awaited Law banning all imports of hazardous wastes into the country regardless of whether they are sent for recycling, reuse, or disposal or allowable under the Basel Convention. (see link below). The primary purpose of Law 1252/08 was to shore up perceived loopholes in existing legislation that allowed conditional imports of hazardous wastes (i.e., pursuant to the Basel Convention). However, the new Law also reaffirms Colombia’s commitment to producer responsibility, a broad cradle-to-grave hazardous waste management and liability regime, and ratchets up the penalties and enforcement options for violations to hazardous waste laws. More >>

California Green Chemistry Initiative Issues Final Report
Wed, 24 Dec 2008 06:00:00 GMT

On December 16, 2008, California's Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) released the Green Chemistry Initiative Final Report. More >>

British Columbia Expands List of Electronic Equipment Requiring Stewardship Programs
Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:00:00 GMT

British Columbia (“B.C.”) amended its Recycling Regulation (B.C. Reg. 449/2004) to expand the list of covered electrical and electronic equipment that will require province-wide stewardship programs to include batteries, appliances, audio-visual equipment and more. The list of new products, which follows the “Phase I” implementation of the Recycling Regulation in 2006, consists of two additional phases, each adding more electronics goods to the program. Phase II is scheduled to commence on July 1, 2010 and Phase III on July 1, 2012. Stewardship plans must be submitted to the Minister for approval six months prior to the respective commencement dates. More >>

Subject Report Updated: Batteries in the Netherlands
Thu, 18 Dec 2008 06:00:00 GMT

The Netherlands has transposed the EU Battery Directive 2006/66 of 6 September 2006 through Regulation on batteries and accumulators management 2008 (the “Regulation”), issued by the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM). The Regulation entered into force on 26 September 2008 More >>