JEAN LAMBERT MEP

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

26/8/03

RECYCLING PRINT CARTRIDGES

Directive 2002/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) aims to reduce the amount of electrical and electronic waste disposed of in landfills and incinerators by establishing separate collection and recycling systems for such waste. By making manufacturers responsible for the disposal of electronic goods at the end of their useful lives, WEEE gives producers incentive to improve the recyclability of these products.

However, should consumable goods used by electric or electronic equipment be excluded from the directory, printer cartridges could be exempt. This is despite an amendment added to the Directive specifically designed to apply to printer cartridges in order to ensure that products were not designed in such a way as to prevent reuse.

Many of the latest generation of cartridges are fitted with 'smart chips' and other devices, which have the effect of preventing their reuse, or making it difficult or expensive to do so, meaning that unless printer cartridges are included in the Directive, many cartridges currently being reused would be destined for landfill too. This would severely damage the developing cartridge recycling industry. Again, an article was specifically inserted in the text of the Directive in order to avoid the use of technical design features that would prevent equipment from being reused.

Therefore, given that WEEE was clearly intended to encourage reuse and recycling of both durable and consumable electronic goods,

- would the Commission deem Member State Government plans to exclude consumable goods used by electric or electronic equipment from the Directive to be in breach of the WEEE directive?

- would cartridges fitted with smart chips be considered electrical or electronic in nature and therefore fall under the WEEE Directive's recycling requirements?