The committee adopted the report by Karl-Heinz FLORENZ (EPP-ED, D)
proposing a large number of amendments to the proposal under the codecision
procedure (1st reading). The amendments focused on the following points:
Separate collection: whereas the Commission was only seeking a collection
target of 4 kg per head per year and the creation of efficient collection
systems, the committee called for all WEEE to be collected separately and
for a target of at least 6 kg per head per year;
Costs for historic products: whereas the Commission was proposing that the
disposal of products already in existence before the entry into force of
the Directive should be financed by all existing producers, the committee
wanted the costs for collection, treatment and environmentally sound
disposal to be internalised within the product price and for disposal of
such products to be financed collectively by all producers in proportion to
their share of the market;
Treatment: the committee insisted on the use of state-of-the-art recovery
and recycling technologies. Treatment systems could be set up by producers
collectively and/or individually;
Recovery: the committee wanted tougher recovery, re-use and recycling
targets for 2005, and therefore increased the proposed targets by around
5-10%. For example, for large household appliances such as washing machines
or fridges,it increased the recovery target from 80% to 90% of weight, and
the target for re-use and recycling from 75% to 85% of weight;
Information: the committee wanted consumers to be properly informed about
the arrangements for ending the disposal of WEEE alongside household waste.
Penalties would be imposed on consumers who did not separate WEEE from
household waste;
Categories of EEE covered: the committee modified some of the categories
listed by the Commission. For lighting equipment, it wanted to allow
exemptions, such as light bulbs, incandescent lamps and household lighting
equipment. It also added leisure and sports equipment to the toys category.