WEEE: a Directive too far?

Several million tonnes of old electrical/electronic equipment, albeit no more than 1% of the total waste stream, are discarded every year in the European Union (EU). In 1998/9 the EU introduced a draft Directive, the WEEE (Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive, to tackle this increasing waste-disposal problem, although there is, as yet, little evidence to suggest it has any serious environmental impact. The content and implementation timetable of the Directive and the technological and economic challenges facing industry in implementing it are discussed in this article