Recycling consortium for electrical goods producers

Archiv – A total of 13 manufacturers of household electrical goods have set up a joint company to recycle materials from their products once they are discarded. The company will set up contracts with recycling businesses throughout Europe to take in a wide range of materials.A total of 13 manufacturers of household electrical goods have set up a joint company to recycle materials from their products once they are discarded. The company will set up contracts with recycling businesses throughout Europe to take in a wide range of materials. The costs of running the company will be met by its members, who are expected to pass on at least some of the costs to retailers and consumers.
The creation of the Recycling Electrical Producers’ Industry Consortium is a response to the EU’€™s Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive which forces companies to take a more active stance on recycling electrical materials. The EU regulations will come into force in August 2005 although the group hopes to start operations by this spring.
The consortium has been formed following discussions orchestrated by Amdea, a trade association for the white goods industry. Amdea’€™s Director General Peter Carver said the new company would aim to recycle 1.2 million tonnes of electrical products per annum.
The consortium’€™s founders are: Alba, B&W Loudspeakers, BSH Home Appliances, Glen Dimplex, Hoover Candy, In-Sink-Erator, Kohler Mira, Merloni Elettrodomestici UK, Numatic, Philips, SMEG, and Whirlpool. The consortium will be open to producers from the domestic appliance, consumer electronics and small appliance sectors. As defined by the EU directive, these will include import agents and some retailers, as well as manufacturers.