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E-waste Regulations - EMEA Federal Legislation
EU Directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

The European Union Directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Directive 2002/96/EC) pertains to the collection, treatment, recovery and recycling of electrical and electronic waste products in Europe. Specifically, the Directive strives to reduce the quantity of electronic waste and increase its re-use, recovery and recycling. The European Commission enacted the Directive in 2003 as a means to seek to improve the environmental performance of all operators involved in the life cycle of electrical and electronic equipment, including manufacturers and producers, distributors and consumers. The Directive transfers the responsibility for disposal to producers, who are required to recycle equipment at end of life instead of disposal to land-fills. Companies selling electronic devices in the EU are required to mark new products to indicate separate collection of the device at the end of its life cycle, and also be prepared to take back and recycle these products. Failure to comply with WEEE legislation results in fines. WEEE obliged the EU member states to transpose its provisions into national law by a 2004 deadline, but only Cyprus complied. Other EU member states had passed related legislation by the end of 2006. The Directive complements EC legislation on waste disposal, including the directives on landfills and incineration of waste.
EU Landfill Directive

The European Union in 1999 enacted a Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC) intended to be implemented by its member states. The Directive's objective is to prevent or reduce negative effects on the environment, in particular the pollution of surface water, groundwater, soil and air, and on the global environment, including, as well as any resulting risk to human health, from the landfilling of waste, during the whole life-cycle of the landfill.
Restriction of the use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (RoHS)

Restriction of the use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (RoHS) was enacted by the European Commission in conjunction with the European Union Directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and similarly seeks to improve environmental performance at all stages in a product's life cycle. The RoHS Directive applies to equipment marketed after July 2006. The primary difference between the WEEE and RoHS directives regards WEEE’s specifications for minimum standards that each EU member state must implement but may exceed, while RoHS is a single market directive that must be implemented identically by each member state. RoHS applies to the manufacture and import of eight specified categories of electrical and electronic equipment within the EU member states. The Directive applies only to the specified categories of products and does not apply to the manufacture and sale of components.
United Nations StEP Initiative

The United Nations in March 2007 released global guidelines governing the environmentally responsible recycling and disposal of e-waste. An alliance of three UN agencies and several businesses, international government agencies and universities announced the project, called Solving the E-waste Problem (StEP), which will be led by a UN Secretariat. The StEP initiative will build on the framework set up under the EU's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive. The objective of the program is global harmonizing e-waste recycling best practices and legislation, encouraging vendors to extend the life of electronic products and provide more upgradeable components, and promoting recycling and re-use to end users. The UN said it also is planning an international accreditation program for vendors. The UN said the primary problem areas are in developing nations in Asia, Africa and South America, where recycling efforts and hindered by lack of skills and equipment. In industrialized nations and established markets, the StEP initiative will focus on making consumers aware of the consequences of disposing of electronics equipment improperly. Task forces will help shape government policies and examine concerns surrounding product design, life expectancy and recycling potential.
Austria

Austria passed an Ordinance on Waste Prevention, Collection and Treatment of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment in April 2005, transposing the European Union RoHS and WEEE directives into Austrian law. Austria’s Federal Environment Agency oversees the legislation, while District Administrative Authorities control producer compliance. Austria’s WEEE ordinance requires that producers register; mark new equipment for the Austrian market; and finance the collection recovery and recycling of WEEE. The Austrian RoHS legislation is consistent with the EU RoHS Directive, imposing a ban on the use of six hazardous substances.
Belgium

Belgium is one of three European nations that implemented electronic waste disposal legislation prior to the EU WEEE Directive. In 2004, the Belgian Federal Government adopted a Royal Decree to implement the European Union RoHS Directive. Electronic waste management in Belgium is the responsibility of the nation’s three regions: Flanders, Wallonia and the Brussels Capital Region. Each region enacted its own WEEE regulations in line with the EU WEEE Directive, but with individual differences. The Flemish government adopted an amendment to the Waste Prevention and Management Ordinance on Dec. 5, 2003 to introduce the WEEE Directive. In the Walloon region, the WEEE Directive was transposed through a decree regarding take-back obligations and amendment on March 10, 2005. In the Brussels Capital Region, a decree of June 3, 2003 imposed take-back obligations on producers. A second decree on June 3, 2004, established obligations for processors. All producers and importers of electronic equipment must register with the Regional Environmental Administrations. On a national level, the directives are enforced by Belgium’s Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment agency.
Cyprus

In Cyprus, Regulation 68-2004 transposing the European Union RoHS and WEEE directives was approved by parliament on July 30, 2004 and has been enforced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment. Companies importing or retailing electronic equipment must register with the Environmental Service. The RoHS Directive imposes a ban on the use of six hazardous substances. Documentation of the Cyprus legislation is not available in English.
Czech Republic

The Czech Republic transposed the European Union WEEE and RoHS Directives with the Waste Act Amendment of 2005. The legislation was approved by the Council of Ministers in June 2004 and was ratified by the Senate and President in December 2004. The law was enacted on Jan. 6, 2005. Collective systems were prepared, including: RETELA, involving the Czech and Moravian Electrical and Electronic Association; CECED, a compliance organization; and Ecolamp, by the European Lighting Company Federation. Compliance is enforced by the Ministry of Environment.
Denmark

Denmark approved National Legislation on the Limitation of Import and Sales of Electrical and Electronic Products Containing Certain Hazardous Substances in October 2004, transposing the EU RoHS Directive into Danish law. Denmark adopted a different approach to implementing the EU WEEE Directive from other EU Member States. The Danish WEEE Order came into force in August 2005 and requires local authorities to establish a collection system for WEEE from private households and businesses. The Danish Ministry of the Environment enforces the nation’s WEEE legislation and is also responsible for the WEEE register. The Danish Environmental Protection Agency serves as the enforcement body for RoHS and for some WEEE measures.
Estonia

Estonia passed legislation titled Regulation No. 158 on April 29, 2004, and amended its Waste Act on May 1, 2004, to bring the nation into alignment with the European Union WEEE and RoHS directives. Regulations set requirements and procedures for marking electronic equipment, targets for collection, and recovery or disposal of equipment. Enforcement of the legislation is controlled by the Ministry of the Environment. Producers must register with the Environment Information Centre, a division of the Ministry of Environment, and finance WEEE management according to their market share. Estonia has been granted a derogation of two years for meeting the collection, recovery and recycling targets, making the deadline Dec. 31, 2008.
Finland

In Finland, a 2004 Government Decree on the Restriction of the Use of Hazardous Materials in Electrical and Electronic Equipment transposed the EU RoHS Directive into Finnish law, while the 2004 Government Decree on Electrical and Electronic Waste transposed the EU WEEE Directive and amended the Waste Act of 1993. The RoHS legislation is enforced by the Safety Technology Authority (TUKES) and compliance of the WEEE legislation is monitored by the Pirkanmaa Regional Environmental Centre. The Finnish WEEE legislation rules that producers must organize the collection, transport and treatment of e-waste; finance the recovery and other waste management of WEEE; ensure equipment is properly marked.
France

In France, the European Union WEEE and RoHS directives were merged by French Decree n°2005-829, which applies to electrical and electronic equipment and all components. The law went into effect on Nov. 15, 2006. The Decree implements the concept of producer responsibility for WEEE, and imposes WEEE take back and recycling obligations. The Decree imposes requirements with respect to product design, collection, recovery, financing, marking and reporting. All producers are responsible for the collection and treatment of household WEEE, according to the Decree. France’s Ministere de l'Ecologie et du Developpement Durable and Agence de l'Environnement et de la Maitrise de l'Energie are responsible for implementation of the Decree and for the national register of producers. The Decree also established penalties for non-compliance, with penalties varying depending on the type of breach.
Germany

An Act Governing the Sale, Return and Environmentally Sound Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Equipment was approved by German legislators on March 23, 2005. Known as Elektrogesetz or ElektroG, the law came into force on May 24, 2005, and outlines the responsibility of electronic equipment producers for their products once they reach the end of the lifecycle. The German law incorporates the substance bans and exempted applications of the European Union WEEE and RoHS directives. Germany’s Federal Environment Agency is in charge of compliance. All producers or distributors of electronic equipment in Germany must register with the Clearing House, a private institution operated and financed by producers of EEE. When registering, producers must provide a guarantee for the financing recycling costs of private household WEEE and the type and quantity of electronic equipment that will be marketed, collected, recovered or exported outside the European Union. ElektroG distinguishes between WEEE from private households and sources other than private households. Manufacturers are required to recover the separately collected WEEE. Quotas are set in individual categories for materials recovery and recycling. The law requires manufacturers to use the best available treatment, recovery and recycling techniques in the disposal of WEEE.
Greece

Presidential Decree 117/2004 (Official Journal of the Hellenic Republic 82 A, 5-3-2004) established the “actions, terms and program for the management of the Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment” in compliance with the provisions of the European Union WEEE and RoHS Directives. The law was enacted on March 5, 2004. All EEE producers and importers are required to register with the national registry. Producers and importers must hold a "certificate of alternative management" (PED), which varies depending on the territorial coverage of the products being marketed. The Greek RoHS legislation imposes a ban on the use of six hazardous substances. The Greek WEEE regulation varies from the EU directive with a Community Directive that requires that relevant cost for treatment of WEEE must be clearly visible in all invoices issued at the various stages of the distribution chain.
Hungary

Hungary adopted several pieces of legislation to transpose the European Union WEEE and RoHS directives into Hungarian law. Ministerial Decree 16/2004 on Restricting the Application of Individual Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment was adopted on Aug. 10, 2004. Government Decree 264/2004 on the Take-Back of WEEE was adopted on Sept. 23, 2004, and requires electronics equipment producers to collect and treat an annually increasing percentage of the EEE they place on the market. Ministerial Decree 16/2004, which transposed the RoHS Directive, and Ministerial Decree 15/2004 on reporting were adopted on Oct. 8, 2004. All decrees went into effect on Aug. 13, 2005. Producers must reimburse local authorities if they provide separate collection of WEEE from households, according to the law.  Hungary’s National Directorate for the Environment, Nature and Water is responsible for enforcing the Hungarian WEEE legislation and for the national register.
Ireland

The Irish government implemented its version of the EU WEEE Directive in August 2005, requiring all producers and distributors of electronic equipment to register with the WEEE Register Society and join a compliance scheme such as WEEE Ireland to help meet their collection, recycling and reporting requirements as specified in the regulations. Ireland’s Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government oversees environmental matters and compliance is enforced by the Office of Environmental Enforcement and Local Authority Officers. Producers are responsible for financing the take-back of WEEE.
Israel

Israel has signed the Basel Convention agreement, which forbids countries from exporting hazardous waste, including electronics. While Israel currently has no specific e-waste management policy, the Israeli Cabinet launched a Green Government initiative in 2001designed to reduce waste and promote recycling.
Italy

Italy transposed the European Union WEEE and RoHS directives with Legislative Decree No. 151, passed on July 25, 2005, and enacted on Aug. 13, 2005. The Italian Ministry of Environment implemented the Decree, establishing a Supervision and Control of WEEE Management Committee that oversees a central Italian register and clearing house. The operating costs of the Committee are to be financed by electronics equipment manufacturers according to their market share. In addition to the EU WEEE and RoHS requirements, the Italian law requires additional information to be supplied to consumers, such as the penalties for incorrect disposal. Producers must ensure recovery of at least 80% of end-of-life goods listed. Producers are required to register at their local Chamber of Commerce before placing equipment on the Italian market. They must also provide a guarantee to ensure the financing of the proper disposal of EEE placed on the market after Aug. 13, 2005. Local authorities are responsible for separate collection of household WEEE.
Kuwait

Kuwait currently has no electronic waste management policy. Kuwait established an Environment Public Authority (EPA) in 1995 that defines EPA’s aims and objectives and policy. The EPA identifies pollutants and specifies environmental criteria and standards and prepares regulations and systems for environmental protection. In 2005, the EPA promulgated a 10-year strategy aimed at protecting Kuwait’s environment, but electronic waste was not included in the plan.
Latvia

In Latvia, the European Union WEEE Directive was transposed into law in several amendments to Latvian law. Latvia’s Law on Waste Management was amended in February and December 2004. Amendments also were made to the Natural Resource Tax Law and the National Waste Management Plan Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No.923, regarding electrical and electronic equipment waste management, was enacted on Nov. 8, 2004. Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No.736, which covers labeling of electrical and electronic equipment and for the provision of information, was adopted on Aug. 24, 2004, while Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No.624, addressing regulations on other electrical and electronic categories, passed on July 27, 2004. The EU RoHS Directive was transposed by Cabinet of Ministers’ Regulations No.723, adopted on Aug. 17, 2004. Latvia has been granted a two-year grace period through Dec. 31, 2008, to meet collection and recovery targets.
Lithuania

Lithuania adopted its version of the European Union WEEE Directive with a series of legislative measures, including Amendment No. X-279, the Law on Waste Management, passed in June 2005; the Order of Minister of Environment No. D1-481 on Rules on Management of WEEE, adopted in September 2004; Government Resolution No. 1252 on National Strategic Waste Management Plan, adopted in October 2004; Order of Minister of Environment No. D1-555 on Rules on Registration of Producers and Importers, which passed in November 2005; Government Resolution No. 61 on Rules on Financial Guarantees, approved in January 2006; Government Resolution No. 18 on Rules on Licensing of Organisations of Producers and Importers, adopted in January 2006; and the Order of Minister of Environment No. D1-57 on Rules on Annual Reports of Organisations of Producers and Importers, which became law in January 2006. Under the Lithuanian WEEE legislation, producers are required to register with the Environmental Protection Agency, which oversees additional requirements for distributors, retailers and municipalities. Lithuania has been granted a two-year grace period through Dec. 3o, 2008, to meet collection and recovery targets. An English translation of the Lithuanian WEEE and RoHS documents are not available.
Luxembourg

The European Union WEEE and RoHS directives were transposed by Luxembourg with a single decree on Jan. 18, 2005. The Grand-Duke's Decree set the nation’s WEEE obligations and restricted of use of some hazardous components. The RoHS provisions became law on July 1, 2006. Luxembourg’s Ministry of the Environment oversees the law, requiring all electronic product producers to register and provide a bank guarantee to cover WEEE management costs. Luxembourg defines “producers” as any company that imports electronic equipment, since the country has no domestic manufacturers. Detail provisions regarding separate collection, treatment and other provisions are regulated by environmental agreement between producers, relevant ministries and the municipalities. An agreement authorizing Ecotrel as the only collective WEEE system was signed on Oct. 28, 2005.
Malta

Malta enacted Restriction of Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations (396/2004) on Aug. 31, 2004, under the Product Safety Act of 2001. The Regulations transposed the European Union RoHS Directive into Maltese law. Malta has been granted a two-year grace period through Dec. 31, 2008, to meet collection and recovery targets. Some provisions for waste management set in the Eco-Contribution Act of 2004. Under the draft Regulations, producers are to finance collecting, recovery and recycling of WEEE and will provide information to consumers regarding treatment sites. Producers should be able to fulfill obligations individually or through a collective scheme. The Eco-Act provides for fees payable by producer when EE products are placed on the market. The Malta RoHS legislation makes additional provisions for the immediate withdrawal of unsafe products. Maltese RoHS penalties were established under the Product Safety Act.
The Netherlands

The Netherlands implemented its WEEE Directive on July 19, 2004, through the Regulations of Management Electrical and Electronic Equipment. The Regulations entered into law on Aug. 13, 2004, although some provisions took effect on July 1, 2006. An Explanatory Memorandum to the Regulation and a Guidance Document was issued by the Netherlands Environment Ministry to provide guidance on the interpretation of key definitions. The Regulations were transposed by the Ministry for Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, which also oversees the registry for EEE producers. All producers and distributors are subject to take back and recovery obligations, but may delegate operations to a collective system.  Producers must guarantee that they will finance the management of WEEE from private households for EEE placed on the market after Aug. 13, 2005. Producers also must finance the costs of WEEE management in proportion to their market share for products placed on the market before that date. The Regulations impose a ban on the use of six hazardous substances in EEE in line with the EU RoHS Directive. Enforcement penalties exist under both administrative and criminal law.
Norway

Norway’s Ministry of the Environment enacted WEEE legislation March 16, 1998, pursuant to Section 33 of the Protection against Pollution and Waste Act of 1981. The European Union WEEE and RoHS directives were transposed by the Norwegian Ministry of the Environment and the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority, which serves as Norway’s National Enforcement Body. The Norwegian RoHS Directive was enacted by Regulation No. 46 on Jan.24, 2005, which amended previous regulations related to restrictions on chemicals and other products hazardous to health and the environment. The Norwegian RoHS directive entered into force on July 1, 2006. The directives impose take-back obligations on municipalities, distributors, producers and importers. The law also imposes reporting obligations on manufacturers and importers. Norway requires every electronics producer and importer to be a member of a take-back company that has been approved by the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority. A WEEE register was established. Producers must finance the collection, sorting, reuse, recycling, disposal and other treatment of EE waste. Businesses can deliver WEEE to dealers selling the same types of products, provided they make a new purchase. Businesses can also deliver WEEE to municipalities. Consumers can deliver WEEE free of charge to dealers selling the same types of products, without having to make a new purchase and can deliver WEEE free of charge to municipalities, regardless of the type of product.
Poland

The European Union WEEE Directive was enacted as Polish law and went into effect on Oct. 20, 2005. Similarly, the EU RoHS Directive was adopted as the Ordinance on Hazardous Substance Restrictions in Electronic and Electrical Equipment on Oct. 6, 2004 and became law on July 1, 2006. Poland was granted a two-year extension of the deadline for meeting the targets in the EU WEEE Directive due to a lack of recycling infrastructure, low population density and high proportion of rural areas. Poland’s General Inspector for Environmental Protection (GIEP) serves as the agency overseeing the take-back and treatment of WEEE. Producers must register with the GIEP, with fees calculated according to a producer's annual net turnover. Producers also must keep data and information regarding users and treatment facilities. Collective plans in Poland include: CECED Polska and ERP-Recycling. In the Polish legislation, point of purchase is considered when goods enter the Polish market, offering a narrower definition than under the EU WEEE Directive. Violations of the Polish RoHS and WEEE legislation are subject to fines and criminal penalties.
Portugal

Portugal approved Law-Decree No 230/2004 on Dec. 10, 2004, to transpose the European Union the WEEE and RoHS directives. The Portuguese Decree replaces previous legislation on electronic waste management (Law-Decree No 20/2002) and went into effect in 2006. The National Waste Institute supervises the Portuguese WEEE legislation and the national register. All EEE producers are responsible for financing, collection, transporting and recycling of WEEE. The Portuguese legislation is consistent with the EU RoHS Directive, imposing a ban on the use of six hazardous substances. In Portugal, consumers must return WEEE in accordance with the Decree. Portugal’s WEEE Decree differs from the EU directive in distributors' obligation to take back WEEE on a one-to-one basis when supplying new products.
Slovak Republic

On Dec. 2, 2004, Slovakia implemented Act 733/2004, an amendment to the Waste Act 223/2001, establishing RoHS and WEEE directives for the nation. It was implemented on Jan. 1, 2005. Additional legislation was enacted on April 29, 2005, as Ministerial Decree 208/2005; Aug. 3, 2005, as Ministerial Decree 359/2005; and Aug. 17, 2005, as Government Ordinance 388/2005. Provisions for RoHS went into effect on July 1, 2006. The WEEE laws are enforced by the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic. Collective programs for WEEE include: Envidom; SEWA; Ekolamp; and Etalux. The Slovak laws provide for a recycling fund which requires a quarterly contribution from producers, based on the difference between the recovery target and their actual recovery rate.
Slovenia

Slovenia was granted a grace period until Dec. 31, 2007 to meet the collection and recovery targets of the European Union WEEE Directive. Slovenia passed Decree 4871 in November 2004, transposing the EU RoHS Directive and partly transposing the EU WEEE Directive.  An amendment adopted on June 10, 2005, introduced a two-step registration process and changed the date and conditions for WEEE management to 2009. The Environmental Product Charges Decree passed in October 2004, introducing an environmental tax for 10 different EEE categories. A 2001 Decision on the Management of the Separately Collected Fractions of Municipal Waste already required local authorities to set up collection facilities. The RoHS legislation is enforced by the Ministry of Health, National Chemicals Bureau, while Decree 4871 is enforced by the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning. Decree 4871 requires producer registration, reporting, treatment and financing duties. For the Slovenian RoHS legislation, penalties are set in the Chemicals Act of 2003. No fines are specified under Decree 4871.
Spain

On Feb. 25, 2005, Spain adopted Royal Decree 208/2005 on Electric and Electronic Equipment and the Management of Waste, to transpose the European Union WEEE and RoHS directives. The Decree took effect on July 1, 2006. The National Register of Industrial Establishments serves as Spain's registration authority and requires all electronics equipment manufacturers to register at both the national and regional levels. All EEE producers are responsible for financing, collecting and recycling of electronics products placed on the Spanish market after Aug. 13, 2005, collecting them separately from products produced prior to that date. Producers may fulfill their WEEE obligations individually or through a collective plan authorized by regional governments. In addition to the obligations of the EU directives, Spain’s WEEE law requires producers to design and manufacture equipment to more easily facilitate their dismantling, repair and reuse. Criminal and administrative sanctions can be imposed for breaches of the law.
Sweden

Sweden’s Ministry of Sustainable Development transposed both the RoHS Directive and the WEEE Directive into Swedish law in 2005 and 2006 respectively. The enforcement body for the RoHS legislation is the Swedish Chemicals Inspectorate serves as the enforcement body for the RoHS legislation, while Sweden’s Environmental Protection Agency oversees WEEE legislation. The main requirements of the Swedish WEEE legislation are that producers must register with the EPA; finance the collection, recovery and recycling of WEEE and mark new equipment for the Swedish market.
Switzerland

Switzerland in June 2005 amended its 1998 Ordinance on the Return, the Take-Back and the Waste Management of Electric and Electronic Equipment in June 2005. Collection and recovery plans founded by producers, importers and retail chains existed in Switzerland on a voluntary basis before the legislation was enacted. European Union RoHS provisions are regulated by the Ordinance on the Reduction of Risks from Chemicals, passed in July 2006, establishing the same restrictions on the six hazardous substances as in the EU RoHS Directive. The responsibility for implementing and supervising the regulations belongs to the Swiss Cantons. Three private organizations: Swiss Association for Information, Communication and Organisational Technology; Swiss Foundation for Waste Management; and the Swiss Association for Illumination, share responsibility for WEEE program management. Financing the treatment of WEEE in Switzerland differs from the EU WEEE Directive as buyers of EEE pay an advanced recycling fee to finance collection and treatment on top of the price of the product. Retailers, distributors, producers and importers are required to take back WEEE of the kind of goods they market, manufacture or import. Citizens discarding WEEE are obliged to return equipment to a distributor, producer or importer or to a public collection point operated by the collective organizations.
Turkey

As Turkey seeks to meet European Union membership criteria, environmental observers say the nation will increasingly need to consider environmental issues, including electronic waste. Turkey currently has no e-waste policy.
United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates Federal Environment Agency was formed in 1993 to manage the environment and implement national environmental laws. The UAE currently has no regulations pertaining to electronic waste. The UAE signed the international Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) agreement in 1999. The private International Environment Group (IEG) contributes to protecting the UAE's environment by creating awareness among the public of the need for recycling, as does the private Emirates Environmental Group, which was formed in 1991.
UK

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive of the European Commission became law in the UK on Jan. 2, 2007. WEEE regulations took immediate effect, but suppliers do not have to take full responsibility for the disposal of electronic goods until July 1, 2007. The law requires manufacturers to recycle and dispose of used electronic equipment in an attempt to stem the harm that is caused by the dumping of used technological materials. Plans include a national Distributor Takeback Scheme, with authorized treatment facilities to handle recycling and keep producers informed of return product inventories. Though penalties are attached to suppliers of hardware, their users share some of the responsibility for equipment disposal, according to the law.
Ukraine

Ukraine currently has no electronic waste management policy, although the nation is considerably attuned to environmental protection, due in large part to the Chernobyl nuclear plant meltdown of 1986. A difficult transition to a capitalist system of government has presented Ukraine with many environmental challenges. The country's current decrease in environmental pollution is essentially linked to the collapse in industrial output. At the request of the Ukrainian Ministry of the Environment, the Ecological Television Center (ECO-TV) was established to disseminate environmental information to the Ukrainian public. The European Union maintains bilateral relations with Ukraine to address specific priorities endorsed by the Co-operation Council in 2002, aligning Ukraine’s legislation with EU environmental protection laws. The policy is reflected in the EU-Ukraine Action Plan adopted on Feb. 21, 2005. The environment section of the EU-Ukraine Action Plan covers measures at national, regional and international levels to address environmental governance, sector-specific action to prevent environmental deterioration and enhanced regional and international cooperation on environment issues. In addition, the U.S.-Ukraine Binational Commission's Environmental Working Group, co-chaired by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was established to respond to urgent environmental issues in Ukraine.
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