Waste electronic and electrical equipment

"Nobody wants to see old computers and television sets piling up at the roadside and polluting the environment. Therefore efficient collection and recycling/reuse is necessary. Member States have agreed on ambitious legislation to tackle the problems caused by rapidly growing amounts of E-waste. But they also have to do the follow-up work and implement what they have agreed." Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas.

Dr Joanna Drake, representing the interests of the EU Commission in Malta, at a recent seminar on WEEE called for "brutally honest" discussion despite conflicting interests. "Electronic and electric waste can cause major health and environment problems if incinerated, if it is not done properly." WEEE is hazardous in landfills and generates dioxins if incinerated.

Malta's extension on the deadline for meeting collection, recovery and reuse/recycling targets in the WEEE directive ran out last April. The Commission is still awaiting notification of WEEE measures from Malta after legal action last year by the European Court of Justice. The Eco-contribution Act provides for the possibility of exemptions but conditions are not specified.

A draft of the WEEE regulations transposed from the directive is still awaiting approval from the Environment Ministry. MEPA has drafted further regulations detailing several issues, such as a national register and guidelines for producer responsibility organisations, but little progress can be made until the WEEE regulations are adopted.