LONDON -- The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has published a consultation paper on proposed changes the European Commission has put forward for WEEE and RoHS.

The changes for WEEE include significant increases in the amounts of electric and electronic waste that are separately collected and recycled.

The changes to RoHS tighten the scope of the restrictions and the substances they apply to.

Commenting on the proposals a BERR spokesperson said: "The UK welcomes the Commission's intention to strengthen the Directives, with further steps to limit the environmental impact of waste equipment. However, we are concerned that the WEEE proposals in particular do present some significant challenges for British businesses."

The consultation paper is designed to give the electronics and ICT industries, the waste management sector, consumers and other interested parties the opportunity to inform the UK government in the impact the changes will have, ahead of the formal negotiations in Brussels.

Responses to the review should be made by May 13, 2009.

The Consultation document is available at: www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/sectors/sustainability/weee/page30269.html.