The Government’s decision to push back the date for implementing the WEEE Directive for a second time has been widely welcomed by UK industry and trade bodies.

The delay will see the collection and recycling of waste electronic and electrical equipment become the responsibility of equipment manufacturers and retailers from June 2006, rather than January, as previously proposed.

Initial plans had set a target date of August 2005.

DTI Minister Malcolm Wicks described the Directive as “challenging”, and said: “It has required a lot of planning and preparation, but our priority is to get this right.”

However, while he welcomed the delay, John Cridland, deputy director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, questioned why delays had proved necessary in the first place.

“Business and the environment deserve better,” said Cridland. “This sorry saga is, regrettably, yet another example of hurried, last minute implementation of major European environmental directives.”

Cridland cited a recent National Audit Office report that recommended more time and resources be devoted to introducing significant legislation.

The DTI said more time would be made available to establish a network of facilities which householders can use for the collection of WEEE.

Rather than consumers returning goods to stores, a compliance scheme under which retailers will fund such a network is being developed by the British Retail Consortium.

Martin Temple, director general of the EEF, the manufacturing industry representative body, said: “We have been concerned for some time that this legislation would not be ready in time or, worse still, that its implementation would be rushed.”

“As such, the Government has taken the only sensible option open to it and this breathing space will give time to plan properly for implementation,” he said.

Registration of producers is expected to take place in in January 2006.