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Greens/EFA deputy Jill Evans, the European Parliament's rapporteur
on the restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS) directive,
said a committee vote on the draft law has sent a "clear signal"
about the dangers of hazardous chemicals used in electrical
and electronic equipment.
Evans said - "I am glad that, despite heavy pressure from
the chemical industry, the committee has voted for certain
problematic substances to be highlighted for further review
and a possible ban."
MEPs on parliament's environment committee are arguing that
some substances - including halogenated flame retardants and
PVC - should undergo further assessments before they are used
in electrical and electronic equipment. They agreed that the
list of substances banned by directive should apply to all
such equipment, unless specifically excluded.
"We know that substances - such as halogenated flame retardants,
PVC and phthalates - can cause serious health and environmental
problems during the treatment of electrical and electronic
waste," said Evans, adding - "This should be the first step
in phasing them out.
"A broad majority in the environment committee also voted
for all electrical and electronic equipment to be covered
by the directive. In addition, a more thorough exemption process
has been adopted. Both these results closed serious loop-holes
in the directive."
Reaction to the vote was swift with Rainer Hinrichs-Rahlwes,
president of the European Renewable Energies Federation (EREF),
saying it particularly welcomed the decision to reject the
suggestion that renewable energy systems should be included
in the scope of a directive.
He said - "This would have created another competitive disadvantage
against renewable energies. It does not make sense to treat
renewable energy technology - like windmills, heat pumps or
solar panels - as if they were sandwich toasters or DVD-players.
"Renewables are competing with fossil and nuclear energy
production and not with household equipment. We, therefore,
welcome the decision to exclude renewable energies from the
scope of RoHS."
However, the outcome of the committee vote was not universally
welcomed. In a statement, Amcham and TechAmerica Europe said
they were "very concerned" about the lack of an impact assessment
of an ‘open scope’ that "would include all electrical
and electronic equipment, cables, consumables and accessories.
James Lovegrove, managing director of TechAmerica Europe,
said - “Our members are concerned by the support today to
expand the scope to all electrical and electronic equipment
without any sound environmental justification or impact assessment."
Plans to 'recast' the directive will go to a plenary
vote in July in Strasbourg.
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