Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive

DEFINITION: EU legislation which aims to reduce the waste and improve the environmental performance of all materials involved in the life cycle of the electrical and electronic equipment. WEEE, such as household appliances, tools and toys, are dependent upon electrical currents or electromagnetic fields under 100 volt AC or 1500 volt DC.

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The Royal Society of Chemistry's chief executive Robert Barker, pictured with some of the redundant tech gathered by staff at the organisation’s Cambridge HQ during an amnesty

Hoarding old gadgets 'preventing circular economy shift' and 'spurring rare mineral shortages'

The fact that most UK households are hoarding old digital gadgets with no plans to recycle them is a key barrier to implementing circular economy principles for e-waste, the Royal Society of Chemistry has claimed.
Research from the United Nations University (UNU) found that more than 44 million metric tonnes of electronic waste were generated globally in 2016

Sky Mobile to offer 'ethical and modular' Fairphone in UK

Sky Mobile has announced that it will offer the Fairphone, a modular and repairable smartphone consisting of recycled materials, in the UK.
The Agbogbloshie slums of Ghana (pictured) have been used as an e-waste landfill by illegal exporters

UK braced for tougher e-waste policies as impacts on human food chains revealed

Industry body techUK has called on the UK Government to implement tighter regulation of e-waste exports under its Resources and Waste Strategy, after a landmark study into the impacts of Europe's e-waste crimes on human food chains in Africa.
Apple's Daisy recycling robot is capable of disassembling 200 iPhones per hour

Apple to launch material recovery lab after ramping up circular economy drive

Technology giant Apple is set to open a new research and development lab focused on cl osed-loop solutions this year, after diverting more than 48,000 metric tonnes of electronic waste from landfill during 2018.
Under the proposals, producers will be forced to pay full net-costs of disposal of packaging they place on the market – up from just 10% now

Major packaging reforms spearhead Resources and Waste Strategy

A huge overhaul of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system has been proposed today (18 December) in the Government's Resources & Waste Strategy, which also includes plans for separate household food waste collections and a nationwide deposit return scheme.

In action: The environmental legacy of the Thames Tideway Tunnel

The Thames Tideway Tunnel is a new major piece of infrastructure for London, capturing an average of 39 million tonnes of untreated sewage which currently enters the tidal River Thames every year. If no action is taken, this is anticipated to reach 70 million tonnes by 2020.

Sustainability Leaders Awards 2019: Meet the Winners

Welcome to the winners report for the 2019 Sustainability Leaders Awards. Organised by edie, these awards recognise excellence across the spectrum of sustainable business; from the best efficiency programmes through to product innovation, from stakeholder engagement and CSR initiatives to the people making it happen.