Are You Ready for The WEEE and RoHS Initiatives?; Majority of Manufacturers Surveyed are Not

[December 01, 2004]

Are You Ready for The WEEE and RoHS Initiatives?; Majority of Manufacturers Surveyed are Not

NEWTOWN, Conn. --(Business Wire)-- Dec. 1, 2004 -- Manufacturers of electronic and electrical equipment should be gearing up for the European Union's WEEE and RoHS initiatives. These directives (Waste from Electronic and Electrical Equipment and Reduction of Hazardous Substances) are meant to increase recycling by reducing waste and decreasing the use of hazardous chemicals in the manufacture of electronic and electrical equipment. However, a recent online survey conducted by TUV Rheinland of North America found that more than half of those manufacturers who responded don't know what they need to do to comply with these directives.

This lack of understanding and information presents a serious situation for makers of such products. Any company that manufacturers in or exports to the European Union will be required to comply with the WEEE and RoHS directives by specific dates in the near future (August, 2005 for WEEE and February, 2006 for RoHS). Any manufacturer that fails to do so will have its products banned from sale in EU member countries.

In an effort to keep ahead of the directives and help its base of clients, TUV Rheinland has taken an educational and consultative approach towards the affected manufacturers. "We've taken a global approach to compliance management. We are offering regular informational web seminars about WEEE and RoHS, as well as custom onsite seminars and consulting." said Deep Krishnan, Director of Sales and Marketing at TUV Rheinland. He added, "The online survey results highlight the need for these kinds of resources to help manufactures make the necessary changes to meet the directives."

About TUV Rheinland North America, Inc.

TUV Rheinland North America, Inc. is headquartered in Newtown, CT, with offices throughout North America. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of TUV Rheinland Group, established for over 130 years, a global leader in compliance engineering, testing and quality system certification. TUV Rheinland serves manufacturers in many industries including, medical devices, semi-conductor, information technology, consumer electronics, industrial machinery, household appliances and wireless equipment. To find out more about TUV Rheinland North America Inc., please visit www.tuv.com, or call 1-TUV-RHEINLAND, 1-888-743-4652. Service Beyond the Mark.

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