A brief guide to understanding the WEEE regulations on the disposal of end of life modules.
The 2012/19/EU WEEE Directive regulates the appropriate treatment of end-of-life products and requires that Producers (e.g. manufacturers and importers) of electronic and electrical equipment comply with national waste management obligations, including the related financing and administration. The first and original (2002/96) WEEE Directive dates from 27 January 2003 and was amended in 2003 and 2008. In 2012, PV modules fell under the scope of the WEEE Directive for the first time.
With the goal of preventing the harmful effects of waste generation and in order to encourage sustainable waste management, the European Waste Directive 2008/98/EU provides a legal framework for the management of waste in Europe. Also, this directive regulates concepts and definitions related to waste management.
The European Waste Shipment Regulation 1013/2006/EU specifies the procedures for waste shipments within the European Union, and to and from third countries. By regulating waste movements, the European Union seeks to improve environmental protection and prevent uncontrolled shipments.
PV CYCLE also offers legal compliance solutions for solar energy system products falling under the scope of the Battery Directive 2006/66/EC.
Source: http://www.pvcycle.org.uk/legal-obligations/
