[GRRN] US FIRMS LOBBY GORE OVER EU ELECTROSCRAP PLANS

From: Ted Smith (tsmith@svtc.org)
Date: Thu Sep 07 2000 - 15:20:20 EDT

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    >The U.S. industry lobbying against the EU WEEE directive is continuing
    >(see below). Please respond and encourage your friends to respond by
    >circulating the letter to V.P. Gore posted at
    >http://www.svtc.org/cleancc/may15gore.htm.

    You can also send letters directly to the hight-tech companies at
    http://www.grrn.org/

    >Thanks

    Ted Smith

    >========================================
    >US firms lobby Gore over EU electroscrap plans
    >ENDS Daily - 06/09/00
    >-------------------------
    >EU plans to force electronic and electrical (E&E) equipment
    >companies to recycle their products and stop using hazardous
    >materials could increase the sector's overall environmental
    >impact, according to a group of E&E manufacturers in the
    >USA. In a letter to US vice president Al Gore, the American
    >Electronics Association (AEA) and the Electronics Industries
    >Alliance (EIA) say the plans will have "enormous
    >environmental and economic consequences."
    >
    >The concerns relate to draft directives on electronic waste
    >(WEEE) and on restricting certain dangerous substances in
    >manufacture (ROS), recently proposed by the European
    >Commission (ENDS Daily 13 June). The AEA and EIA say the
    >directives "may in the long-run cause more harm than good
    >because they are not based on any environment analysis and
    >may fail to promote…an efficient recycling infrastructure
    >across the EU."
    >
    > >Of "particular concern," they say, are plans to substitute
    > >lead, mercury and cadmium by 2008. This "may result in a
    > >net negative environmental impact by forcing adoption of
    > >substitutes that could have a more detrimental impact than
    > >the substances they replace." The comments echo criticisms
    > >made by EU industry (ENDS Daily 14 June), though the
    > >Commission's proposal makes it clear that substitution
    > >should only take place if the overall effect is a reduction
    > >of environmental impact.
    > >
    > >The associations have turned to Gore, they say, because the
    > >proposed law could have "significant adverse financial
    > >implications for American high-tech firms" and because of a
    > >"lack of meaningful opportunity to have our views addressed
    > >by the EU authorities."
    > >
    > >The AEA and EIA say the issue is a "major trade concern" and
    > >many in Brussels believe it could follow bananas, growth
    > >hormones and GMOs as a point of transatlantic friction. A
    > >year ago, lawyers for the AEA claimed the EU's proposals
    > >would be illegal under World Trade Organisation rules (ENDS
    > >Daily 9 September 1999).
    > >
    > >Follow-up: AEA (http://www.aeanet.org), tel: +1 202 682
    > >4445; EIA (http://www.eia.org), tel: +1 703 907 7576. See
    > >also the letter
    > >(http://www.leadfree.org/AlGoreLetter7-10-00.htm).
    > >
    > >--
    > >***********************************************
    > >Thisvi Ekmetzoglou-Newson & Francisco Flores Albacete
    > >
    > >TAED European Co-ordination Team
    > >The European Environmental Bureau
    > >34 Boulevard de Waterloo, Brussels 1000, Belgium
    > >Tel + 32 (0)2 289 1094, Fax + 32 (0)2 289 1099
    > >Web site www.taed.org E-mail: taed@taed.org
    > >***********************************************
    >
    >Leslie Byster
    >Communications Director
    >Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition
    >International Campaign for Responsible Technology
    >760 N. First Street
    >San Jose, CA 95112
    >Phone: 408-287-6707
    >Fax: 408-287-6771
    >http://www.svtc.org
    >e-mail: svtc@svtc.org
    >
    >___________________________________________________________
    >T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16
    >Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics

    Ted Smith
    Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition
    Campaign for Responsible Technology
    760 N. First Street
    San Jose, CA 95112
    408-287-6707-phone
    408-287-6771-fax
    tsmith@igc.org
    http://www.svtc.org/svtc/
    =========================================
    Food for thought:

    How Gandhi Defined the Seven Deadly Sins

    · Wealth without work

    · Pleasure without conscience

    · Knowledge without character

    · Commerce without morality

    · Science without humanity

    · Worship without sacrifice

    · Politics without principle



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