92002E0509

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0509/02

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 February 2002)

Subject: Management of electronic waste

The management of electronic waste (computers, printers, fax machines etc.) is a problem assuming ever greater proportions as the volume increases year by year. In 1998 alone, the European Union reportedly produced 8 million tonnes of such waste.

1. What risks to public health are associated with the uncontrolled dumping of electronic waste?

2. What measures will the Commission take to ensure that an integrated approach is taken to the management of electronic waste?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(2 April 2002)

The main problems in this context are the leaching and evaporation of hazardous substances. Leaching of mercury takes place when certain electronic devices, such as circuit breakers, are destroyed. The same is true for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from condensers. When brominated flame retarded plastic or cadmium containing plastics are landfilled, both polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) and cadmium may leach into the soil and groundwater. It had been found that significant amounts of lead ions are dissolved from broken lead containing glass, such as the cone glass of cathode ray tubes, by the acidic groundwater often found in landfills. Therefore, pollution from cone glass in landfills is likely. Not only the leaching of mercury poses specific problems. The vaporisation of metallic mercury and dimethylene mercury, both part of waste, is also of concern. In addition, uncontrolled fires may arise at the landfills. In such fires, both metals and other chemical substances, such as the extremely toxic dioxins and furans including tetrachloro-dibenzo-dioxin (TCDD) and polychlorinated and polybrominated dioxins and furans (PCDDs, PBDDs and PCDFs) from halogenated flame retardant products and PCB containing condensers may be emitted.

In order to tackle this problem, the Commission adopted on 13 June 2000 two proposals(1) for Directives on the management of waste from electrical and electronic equipment as well as on the restrictions of hazardous waste in electrical and electronic appliances. The Council adopted two common positions on these proposals on 4 December 2001(2). The Common Positions are presently being considered by the Parliament for its Second Reading.

(1) OJ C 365 E, 19.12.2000.

(2) SEC(2001) 2021 final and SEC(2001) 2023 final.