Are cable WEEE waste?
Introduction
Many cable distributors and agents ask me if we need a WEEE certificate for our cable products in Europe. Are cable WEEE waste? The answer is as follows,
- Yes, if the cable are ready to use.
- No, if the cable is used as a component of an equipment.
In this blog, I will briefly explain what WEEE is and how to determine if your cable products are WEEE waste.
What is WEEE Certification
- WEEE stands for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment.
- This is the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive issued by the European Union in 2012, which is part of Europe’s Green New Deal to protect the climate.
- The WEEE Directive aims to protect the climate from the point of view of product sustainability.
- The main methods are the reuse and dismantling of WEEE and the reduction of the use of raw materials.
Are cable WEEE waste?
Scenario 1: cable without ends— NOT WEEE WASTE
- The cable is used as a component, the product can not be used directly, and it needs to be equipped with plugs and terminals to make a finished product.
- Further assembly is required.
- The unit of this type of cable is usually meters, rolls.
- Refer to HSCODE: 85444921.
Scenario 2: cable with ends— WEEE WASTE
- The cable is ready for use. No further assembly is required.
- The unit for this type of cable is usually pcs, sets.
- Refer to HSCODE: 85444211.
References
UK: In the UK, it is officially specified that “reels of cable – cable that has unfinished ends is ‘out of scope’.”
DE: In the German EAR it is also clearly stated that Important: “Components (e.g. cords as bulk goods, cable end sleeves, ring terminals) are still not covered by ElektroG.”
Summary
- So the points of the key points to note are:
- Determine if the cable is part of the electrical and electronic equipment. If so, it is NOT WEEE waste.
- What is the unit of sale of the cable?
- pcs, sets belong to WEEE waste.
- Rolls, meters do not belong to WEEE waste.
KMCABLE has 15 years of experience as a cable manufacturer and importer/exporter. If you want to import cables for your project, please feel free to consult us!
