Sustainability
BEAMA members fully subscribe to the principles of sustainable development as outlined below:
6.1 Sustainable development
Sustainable development can be defined as development that satisfies the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy theirs. Sustainable development includes, respect for the environment, and preventing the exhaustion of natural resources by the reduction of waste and the minimisation of energy consumption.
6.2 REACH regulations
The new European REACH regulations came into force on 1st June 2007. REACH stands for ‘Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals’. The main objectives of REACH are: better protection of human health and the environment against the risks that can be caused by chemicals. It also promotes better knowledge of the chemical substances used in industry.
REACH regulations concern all industries and all materials that exist on the European market, whether produced in the European Union or imported, from one tonne per year. It obliges companies to register their substances with the European Chemicals Agency; otherwise, they will not be authorised for placement on the European market. Nevertheless, this registration is not applicable to substances already covered by other regulations (radioactive substances, medication, phytopharmaceutical products, biocidal products, food additives, etc.). Other categories, such as polymers, are subject to special handling.
6.3 The management of WEEE and RoHS
The management of WEEE and RoHS corresponds to two European directives. D3E (2002/96/EC) deals with the framework for the management of waste electrical and electronic equipment in Europe. The RoHS recast Directive 2011/65/EU (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) concerns the composition of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE).
One of the aims of these directives is to inform users of the rules to apply and the means available to manage waste electrical and electronic equipment in strict observance of sustainable development. These directives also identify the needs and problems of users and service providers, and solutions that exist or need to be created.
The aims are to handle the economic management of the WEEE sector, to organise the collection and processing of WEEE, and to implement awareness, information, and communication actions.
WEEE includes a wide variety of waste, and their typical composition is too complex to be fully defined. The waste electrical and electronic equipment collection and processing system has been operational for professional WEEE since 13th August 2005.
This waste essentially consists of ferrous and non-ferrous metals (10 to 85%), inert materials excluding cathode ray tubes (0 to 20%), plastics whether or not containing halogenated flame-retardant materials (1 to 70%), and specific components that are potentially hazardous to health and the environment (CFCs and other greenhouse gases).
Note: cable ladder systems and cable tray systems and associated supports are outside of the scope of WEEE and RoHS.
6.4 Environmental footprint
Product Environmental Profiles (PEPs) specify the environmental characteristics of each product over its entire life cycle. The following points must be addressed:
• Take environmental aspects into account in the design,
• Preservation of resources (energy, water, materials, land),
• Protection of ecosystems on a global level (climate, ozone), regional level (forests, rivers, etc.), and local level (waste, air quality, etc.).
• Links between environment and health.
Continue reading: Applicable standards
