EC Insists Appliances Get Greener

What homeowners plug into the wall outlets is just as important as the type of insulation within the walls, and green products do more than just use less energy. An essential component of greenness is a product's life cycle costs. That's why recycled and recyclable materials are so much better. Appliances are not usually recycled, however. In the European Community (EC), electrical and electronic equipment make up 4% of consumer trash, and this percentage is increasing very quickly.

If EC decision makers have their way, manufacturers of home appliances and electrical equipment will soon have to recycle much of their products, with increasing percentages mandated for recycling as the years go by. Makers of everything from washing machines to electronic toys would be responsible for removing their products from the waste stream and would have to take in and recycle items from customers whose equipment no longer works. The EC also wants manufacturers to phase out harmful substances contained in their products--including lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, and some kinds of flame retardant.

While opponents claim that these measures would be illegal under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, supporters feel that the measures will benefit public health and the environment as well as create jobs in the recycling industry.

These impending regulations have already begun influencing the design of appliances, especially in Germany. Manufacturers are trying to devise ways to upgrade energy efficiency without replacing the whole product.

--Colleen Turrell

Colleen Turrell is an associate editor of Home Energy.

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