The advert, for waste electrical and electronic equipment recycler Jensen Asset Management, informs businesses in the Hampshire area that new legislation will “soon be operational” which will make it illegal to put any electronic equipment in a skip or landfill.
However, with the legislation not yet finalised, it is still unclear exactly how much obligation businesses will have. Although electronic equipment containing hazardous components – such as older televisions and computer monitors – will need to be disposed of in the correct manner, items such as unwanted toasters, which do not classify as hazardous waste, may still be allowed to be placed in skips.
Claims
Andrew Slee, trading standards manager at Hampshire county council, said: “We need to look at whether the claims of the adverts are accurate in terms of the Trade Description Act. We will look at the claims and try to work out if they fit what the legislation may be.
“As we are not experts in the field of WEEE we will probably be liaising with the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency,” he added.
Radio advert
The radio advert states:
“This is an important announcement to all businesses. New government legislation called the Waste Electrical and Electronic or WEEE Directive will soon be operational and will affect your company.
“This government initiative will make it illegal to dispose of any electrical components in a skip or landfill site. And failure to comply with it will lead to a fine or even prosecution. Jam4Us is a unique company specialising in electrical recycling, resale and disposal.
“We'll even supply you with certification to cover any future inspections. To discuss this new Directive and its impact, call Fareham 84664 or visit Jam4Us.com. Jam4Us – managing your assets for a cleaner tomorrow.”
But, at present it is unclear whether the legislation will make it illegal to place electrical waste in a skip, unless it contains hazardous substances under the Recycling of Hazardous Substances (ROHS) Directive.
The language of the advert has been described by industry sources as “heavy-handed”.
One expert stated: “Although there will be a duty of care obligation the government will be concerned with bulk disposals, a company is unlikely to be prosecuted for putting a mouse in a skip. The language of the advert implies that anyone placing anything electronic in a bin will be hunted down, this is simply not going to happen.”
Scary
A business owner travelling on the M3 in Hampshire heard the advert and said the tone was quite scary and almost seemed like an official warning. He said: “I really was not sure that I, as a small business, had to recycle all my old computers and electrical equipment. Of course we try to be environmentally friendly but this new law imposed on us is news to me.”
A spokesperson for Jensen Asset Management said that the advert was originally put out before the legislation implementation was officially put back to January 2006. He said that once the date was moved the advert was altered to reflect this, but no other changes have been made.
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