This is the final phase of the Government's extensive consultation process for implementing the WEEE Directive, which is expected to be transposed into UK law in January 2007.

Head of WEEE Services at Valpak, Mike Sadler said: "We are pleased that, after consulting with representatives of producers, distributors, local government, the industry and charities, the Government's proposals held no great surprises for us and were, in the main, in line with what we expected."

In particular, Valpak supports the main principles underlying the UK implementation of the Directive, which the documents outlined. These principles include:

• the encouragement of competition between producer compliance schemes. This, it is expected, will help reduce costs to producers and importers, and ultimately to consumers.
• a system for calculating producer obligations based on their market share that in turn will offer a flexible approach to meeting producer obligations at a sustainable economic cost. The concept of a unique identification number for producers placing EEE products onto the UK market is an excellent way to encourage manufacturers and importers to register.
• a timely appointment of a single national collection scheme, known as the Distributor Takeback Scheme (DTS), for retailers. Valpak remains committed to this process as the administrators of the British Retail Consortium's proposal.

• opportunities for the various producer compliance schemes to work together, trading with each other in order to balance surpluses and shortfalls across the schemes.

Mike Sadler said: "The latest publications set out the way ahead for transposition of the WEEE Regulations in the UK, with key milestones identified which now must be met as a matter of urgency.

"However, we still have some concerns: on the short period being allowed for the recruitment of producers following the approval of compliance schemes; on the frequency of data that producers will be expected to produce; and on the timing of B2B WEEE obligations."

Under the proposed arrangements, prospective producer compliance schemes can apply for approval from 4 January 2007. The Environment Agency should approve schemes by 28 February 2007. That gives the schemes only two weeks - until 15 March - to put their plans in place and sign up producer members and register their sales data.

Finally, Valpak has some doubts about the implementation of obligations on non-household WEEE. While full obligations for all household WEEE start on 1 July 2007, similar responsibilities for all non-household (i.e. B2B) WEEE are expected to begin earlier, on 1 April 2007.

Mike Sadler said: "There is a substantial amount of work still to be done on clarifying B2B obligations, not only for manufacturers and importers but also for end users. To expect this all to be in place and working smoothly by April 2007 seems to us to be rather ambitious. We would like to see this date reviewed."

Valpak is the leading provider of compliance and recycling solutions in the UK and is fully committed to offering compliance services to both producers and retailers of electrical and electronic goods.