Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 42
42
The presumption, unless proved otherwise, should be that electronics are not usable.
Conclusion
The presumption, unless proved otherwise, should be that electronics are not usable. All electronics should be tested and proved to work before exportation. No good should be exported that needs repair to be workable. There should be harmonisation of this across the UK to prevent goods being moved from one nation to another for exportation purposes. (Paragraph 160) Recommendation 27
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
The Government does not believe current legislation and case law allows us to deem all used electronics as not usable. There would need to be a change or clarification in legislation to allow for this approach. We also do not want to unnecessarily restrict the legitimate re-use of valued equipment within the UK. However, we agree there is a need for clearer environmentally-oriented guidance on the definition of waste regarding used equipment. The Government and the Environment Agency will explore the requirements for new guidance and will work with, the devolved environment agencies and stakeholders in conjunction with this year to review the current guidance.