The Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEMS) Directive 2021/letters from member states of the European Union concerning the harmonisation of certain aspects of the warehousing sector, namely the quality of hazardous materials and their safe handling, are set out in the Standard Terms for Company Liability and Workplace Health and Safety (SHMP) Regulations 2021 which are an international legal instrument drawn up by the Council of Europe and the European Union. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WECE) is the European Communities Directive 2021/elo European Union, which, with the RoHS directive 2021/65/Eur, became European Law in February 2021. This European legislation covers all matters relating to the protection of the environment, particularly the protection of workers and their health and safety at work. Amongst the main elements of this law are the implementation of the "reducing of risks" principle, the creation of a system for collecting, handling and storing hazardous materials, the obligation of companies to take on responsibilities for the treatment of hazardous waste and the protection of the environment.
The primary objectives of the waste Electrical and Electronic equipment Directive are to introduce a systematic approach for the collection, processing, treatment and storage of hazardous substances and to promote the safer use of electrical and electronic equipment in the EU as a whole and in the countries of the region concerned. The secondary objectives relate to the prevention of the transportation, importation, exportation, development and manufacture of hazardous substances and the collection, transport, treatment and storage of hazardous waste. The third objective relates to the protection of the employees of the institutions that handle dangerous substances, and the provision of protective equipment and information related to the handling and application of hazardous substances. The fourth objective regards the improvement of the systems for communication, waste management and recycling. The fifth objective relates to the harmonisation of technical regulations for electrical and electronic equipment handling.
In addition, there is a requirement in order to present to the Council for the Evaluation of Chemical Agents (CEA), a proposed definition of hazardous substances that are subject to the strict regulations of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. These stringent regulations are essential in order to comply with the directives and standards set out by the European Union (EU). The proposal also stipulates the mandatory identification of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipments that meet the specific requirements of the directive. The proposed regulations will enable the removal or destruction of dangerous equipment and components and thereby ensure the protection of human health and the environment.
