all major companies.
EU regulation is being brought to counter this situation.
“The EU Directives on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and the Restriction of the Use of certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) were published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 13 February 2003 and must be implemented into UK law by 13 August 2004.”4
This directive puts in place controls over who is responsible for the aftermarket processing of electronic goods. And states how these items must be processed.
“In terms of electronic appliances, recycling will include the recycling of metal components into new metals, reprocessing plastics into recycled plastics, etc. Recovery includes these recycling operations but also includes activities like incinerating plastic waste with energy recovery.”
Furthermore the costs associated with the onward supply and management of WEEE will be met by the producers of the equipment. This is a logical step and should further encompass the textiles industry, however it does not address the problem of over consumerism, nor does it address the problems caused directly at manufacture. See Chapter Four. Indeed, it could be misconstrued that it may make manufacturing even more competitive, with regulations being skipped; Cynical though it may seem the end consumer is likely to foot the bill, and little or no change will occur.
What, Why and Where?
Items that have entered into everyday UK recycling habits include: paper, glass, aluminium (and other metals), some plastics and textiles. Indeed, it is these household waste items that have been targeted and encompass the Government’s Waste Management Strategy.
Up to 80 percent of household waste is theoretically recyclable, and rates of 50-60 percent recycling are already being achieved in some UK districts6. The 20 percent of products which aren’t currently recyclable (some plastics, sanitary products, household batteries etc) should, with time be redesigned to allow them to be recycled.
The success of these items returning to a third or fourth use is arguable, with many recycling processes inefficient or the properties of the material degrading to such an extent that it is unviable to reprocess any further.
Recycling makes sense, if it’s being consumed and it’s being produced, there is going to be a demand, and until consumers alter their perceptions and requirements, and there is no waste, recycling will exist.
Currently there are initiatives and Government incentives to local districts to start collection services for separated waste collection at door stop. In reality there are to be financial penalties if the European targets of 30 percent of household waste in 2005 is not recycled, increasing to 33 percent in 2010.
Recycling should be made efficient easy and an everyday occurrence, and therefore should be everywhere, in reality enforced door stop collections are the most effective.
What will this achieve?
Recycling is an industry in its own right, after processing the recyclable products a new product can be produced. In the most modern of processes, the secondary product can be indiscernible from the original. Recycling is a direct way of protecting our natural resources, it helps reduce the amount of material going into landfill, and it is an efficient way of dealing with increasing levels of waste.
By recycling consumers also become educated as to what they are using, and indeed wasting. Although there have been studies showing that recycling promotes a more carefree attitude with regards to excessive packaging and general consumption; traditional consumer trends have not fluctuated to such an extent that this is anything more than a localised anomaly.
Problems and misconceptions
Specific problems include but are not limited to:
- Poor second or third product use etc.
- Severe degradation of quality.
- Inefficiency can be severely environmentally damaging
- Public over confidence, and excessive over use
- Being used just as a marketing tool
There is often the misconception that all recycling is good, many forms of material especially t