Some WEEE changes to waste management licensing

The Department of the Environment (DoE) have issued a consultation on proposals for Regulations which will implement the treatment permitting requirements of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive 2002/96/EC, and provide certain exemptions for the storage, repair and refurbishment of such equipment. This will include a series of amendments to the Waste Management Licensing Regulations (Northern Ireland) SR 2003/493.

Any site that authorises the treatment of WEEE, will need to include conditions for its storage and treatment in order to meet the technical requirements of the Directive. These conditions will need to specify that:

• the best available treatment recovery and recycling techniques are used;
• as a minimum, WEEE is treated by the removal of all fluids and that the treatments specified in Annex 2 to the Directive are carried out;
• facilities treating WEEE must comply with the technical requirements set out in Annex 3 to the Directive.

This consultation is of particular importance to those who store and treat WEEE, or intend to Store and treat it, and will close on 30 November 2006.