The recycling laws for computer hardware and other electronic items have been delayed for long. But now the new EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is launched Tuesday.
Manufacturers still are not too sure as to what their responsibilities are and what all electronic items fall under the law. However the DTI has commented that the law will not come to full swing until July 2007. The manufacturers have also commented that they will be forced to raise the price of hardware and IT since they will also have to include the costs of the recycling process.
The law will surely save the environment from the deadly impacts of hardware misuse. Analysts group Gartner has stated that the companies will be forced to recover the cost of the recycling process from the end user. The analyst group has also estimated that the new directive will raise the cost of the computers by around $60.
Some other institutions have commented that recycling of hardware equipment should be the last resort. The older systems should be sold or donated to organizations that cannot afford to buy new computers. Such organizations include schools who can use the computer for years without needing to refurbish the computers.
Via: zdnet
