The WEEE directive came into effect in the UK on 1 July 2007.

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) is responsible for transposing the WEEE Directive into UK law, working in partnership with the Devolved Administrations.

http://www.dti.gov.uk/innovation/sustainability/weee/page30269.html

• DEFRA is responsible for ensuring the permitting of Authorised Treatment Facilities for the WEEE Directive.

• The Environment Agency (SEPA in Scotland and EHS in NI) will be the enforcement agency for the WEEE Directive
  

Also of interest in this area is the RoHS directive (2002/95/EC) on restricting use of hazardous substances which can be found at the same link above.

The WEEE directive should have come into effect in the UK by August 2005.

In December 2005 the Energy Minister, Malcolm Wicks, announced that the implementation of the WEEE Directive in the UK would be delayed and that the Government would undertake an immediate review of the proposals for implementation.

In spring 2006, the DTI carried out an informal consultation on how to implement the WEEE directive. Initial responses can be seen at http://www.dti.gov.uk/administration/whatsnew/page28448.html

A further consultation was launched by DTI on 25 July 2006 (closing date 17 October 2006) seeking views of businesses, manufacturers, retailers, producers and enforcement authorities on draft regulations implementing Directives 2002/96/EC and 2003/108/EC. This consultation does not seek views on the provisions of the Directive itself but on the UK's proposed interpretation of it - http://www.dti.gov.uk/consultations/page32448.html

Responsibility for implementation in the UK is divided among various departments and agencies.

DTI led the EU negotiations on both Directives, all of RoHS implementation and on most aspects of UK implementation of WEEE. The Environment Agency (SEPA in Scotland and EHS in NI) will be the enforcement agency for WEEE.

Defra leads on certain aspects of domestic implementation, including drawing up guidance on how WEEE must be treated and assessing producers’ compliance with the collection, recycling and recovery targets. The Environment Agency (SEPA in Scotland, EHS in NI) will enforce these aspects.

Defra news on WEEE: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/topics/electrical/

and DEFRA Guidance: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/topics/electrical/pdf/weee-batrrt-guidance.pdf

Last updated 19 July 2007