The UK has much to learn from Japan to effectively implement the EU WEEE (waste) Directive. Two delays and the current uncertainty over an introduction date in this country for the directive appears poor management at the very least when a country not even in the EU can arrange its own WEEE arrangements so effectively.

A report arising from a mission to Japan sponsored by the DTI said: “The mission team found many examples of best practice, some of which - but not all due to cultural and economic differences - are applicable to the UK.”

Produced by a DTI Faraday Partnership who led the mission and the mission participants comprising of UK industry and academic waste experts, the report said laws similar to the EU WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive implemented in Japan in 2001 had encouraged high levels of recycling with productive effects on landfill and materials imports.

The crucial Japanese laws form a two-pronged strategy. The Home Appliance Recycling Law (HARL) covers TVs, washing machines and air conditioners while the Law for Promotion of Effective Utilisation of Resources (LPEUR) is more broadly based and similar to what the EU proposes for the WEEE Directive.

Both were enacted after successful government-industry consultation and both consequently, said the report, have been taken up enthusiastically to the point where targets, 55 per cent for TVs for example, are usually significantly exceeded - 81 per cent of TVs were recycled in 2004.

“Consider carefully the difference between LPEUR and HARL on companies as a model for implementation of the WEEE directive,” is the main legislative conclusion of the report.

Japan has established a working appliance return and recycling infrastructure, its waste streams are clean - they only contain the intended items - and its firms are starting to design for recycling.

Surprisingly in view of the country’s reputation for robot use, recycling operations are almost exclusively manual.

Education of consumers and industry on the 3R themes of reduce, reuse, recycle has been successful to the point where fly-tipping, claimed the Japanese DTI-equivalent METI, is virtually un-heard of, despite consumers having to pay a fixed fee directly for HARL appliance disposed of. Between them, these account for 18 million appliances per year.

The UK should, recommended the report, adopt selected Japanese recycling techniques and strategies as well as identifying state-of-the-art UK electronics recycling technology.

It also suggests developing a UK network of recycling technology companies, and the setting up of a UK national centre of recycling excellence whose briefs should include developing technology and education. But will the Government be prepared to put the necessary funding in place?

To read the full report, entitled ‘Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE): innovating novel recovery and recycling technologies in Japan’, visit www.globalwatchservice.com/missions

For more information on the Mini-Waste Faraday Partnership visit www.mini-waste.com

See also: Electronics Weekly's roundup of content related to The WEEE Directive