Europos Sąjungos patirtis tvarkant elektrinės ir elektroninės įrangos atliekas

Abstract

Waste managent in our days is one of the most urgent problems of environmental protection in Lithuania.After the Declaration of Independence in Lithuania in 1990 lots of second-hand products such as furniture, clothes, tyres, consumer goods ( white and brown), End-of-Life cars are imported to Lithuania each year. After a short period these products enter the waste circuit. Lithuanian experts and specialists must solve these problems concerning these waste, in oder to avoid the process of turning the country into scrap yards and dumps. The Stream of waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) has been recognised as one of priority importance by the Commision of the European Union, wich set up a specific Project Group on the subject in 1994. One of the reasons for the Commissions' decision was the fact that the quantity of EEE waste is expected to significantly in the nearest future. In addition, too much EEE waste is send straight to final disposal (landfill and inceneration) and much valuable materials is lost thereby. EEE contains hazardous materials (CFCs, asbestos,heavy metals,etc.) wich cause problems upon disposal. During the last 7 years The Lithuanian Industry of Electronics has experienced significant change. In oder to join the Western market, companies had to change the profile of their activities, because they lost their traditional markets in the former USSR. Most of the large and small electronics companies successfully change their profiles, become more attractive to foreign investors, the quality and costs of the products meet Western requirements and several enterprises achieved ISO 9000sertification in 1997. As a direct concequence, the amount of waste from Electronics Industry sector as well as from consumer goods import sector; can be expexted to grow. The ways to minimise the environmental impact (both in quality and quantity) of these waste will have to be concidered at the level of Lithuania as well as in EU level too.The experience of EU countries in the treatment of the waste from EEE is given. The goal is to identify the European Union policy vision, standards of prevention, collecting, recycling, transportation, disposal and management of Electrical and Electronic Equipment waste stream. The analysis of national specific legislation, legislation concerning EEE waste at the EU level, the most interesting recovery initiatives, the "Responsibility” problem for EEE waste prevention and treatment (the role of central government, municipal authorities producers and distributors, importers, waste managers, users) is given.