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We're not talking Wii or even oui (although this entry does have a Euro flavor). WEEE is European Union legislation that sets criteria for the collection, treatment, recycling and recovery of Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE). This directive "makes producers responsible for financing most of these activities." It also requires the "collection and treatment of any electrical or electronic equipment which is waste including all components, sub-assemblies and consumables, which are part of the product at the end-of-the products life or at the time of discarding. In addition, it requires producers to organize 'take back supply chain' for customers to return items when their use is finished. Every producer must also provide information on re-use and treatment for new EEE within one year of placing it onto the market, in order to inform re-use centers, treatment and recycling facilities."
The folks behind WEEE admit, however, that despite such rules on collection and recycling "only one third of electrical and electronic waste in the European Union is reported as appropriately treated and the other two thirds are going to landfills and potentially to sub-standard treatment sites in or outside the European Union." This definitely does not make WEEE Man happy.
