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Are you plugged in?
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06/10/2006
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With the security of our energy supply hanging in the balance and public discussion of new energy generation methods, the European Union has recognised that the burden upon energy supply can be lightened if power consumption is minimised. However, reducing greenhouse gas emissions isn’t the only action point on the EU’s environmental agenda.
The impending Energy Using Products (EuP) Directive aims to encourage manufacturers to take a more holistic approach to product design, looking at where the raw materials are sourced, the energy involved in extracting them, the energy it takes to make them into components and then transport them, and the opportunity to reuse components once end of life has been reached, amongst others. Referred to as ‘cradle to grave’ or ‘cradle to cradle’, the Directive aims to convince more manufacturers into viewing their products as part of a global lifecycle approach.
Directive 2005/32/EC on the eco design of Energy using Products (EuP) will cover electrical and electronic devices or heating equipment. Whilst the legislation broadly seeks to enforce eco design best practice upon producers, it knits together some existing Directives, such as WEEE and RoHS, with some packaging regulations.
A framework for EuP will be put in place across the EU member states by August next year. Roger Freeman of test house RFI comments: “Currently, there are taskforces in place looking at each product with a view to developing ‘implementing measures.’” Whilst the framework won’t have any legal obligations, the implementing measures will.
Explains Freeman: “The idea of the framework is that once it is in place and the implementation measures are decided, they will get into legislation very rapidly. So, instead of maybe a two year wait, legislation could be in place in six months.”
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Author
Vanessa Knivett
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