The UK is to delay introducing the WEEE Directive until Jan/06. The DTI said it had encountered "major practical difficulties" in meeting the deadline, in common with several other EU countries. The directive, which aims to increase the collection & recycling of electronics scrap, should have been transposed into UK law by 13/8/04, giving industry a year to understand the regulations. The DTI now hopes to transpose the directive this summer, & introduce the new laws around 6 months after. The DTI also said it had abandoned its idea for a national "clearing house" that would put recyclers in touch with waste collectors & calculated how much producers should pay. Now, the EA will register producers with the DTI then establish the financial responsibility of producers. Marking of equipment in line with the directive will begin on 13 Aug, as originally planned.
