This was a timely topic given the impending deadlines of 2005 and 2006 for these directives and mandates, which call for new monitoring and reporting of chemicals used in high-tech products or outright chemical bans. These laws are driving sweeping design changes across the technology supply chain. To help AeA members learn more about the impact of these laws, AeA New England again assembled an impressive group of experts.

Becky Linder, Director of International Trade Policy at AeA, began the seminar by providing an overview of AeA’s international environmental policy positions and market access initiatives. These include coordinating and increasing industry and government dialogue on the European Union’s adopted Directives on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restrictions on the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS).

Becky updated the audience on what AeA was doing to make sure the industry’s voice is heard on this critical issue. She also outlined additional ways that AeA members could get involved and help their individual companies prepare.

Two attorneys from Allen & Overy provided in a presentation an overview of the laws and their implication for technology companies. 

Ken Rivlin, Partner and Head of Allen & Overy’s U.S. Environmental Law Practice in New York, provided a detailed overview of the WEEE and RoHS directives and the paradigm shift these have caused in the marketplace. He asserted that these directives will not be postponed or disappear. He went on to provide details on the open issues. The presentation included examples of E-waste compliance work done by high-tech companies. They also stressed how negligence or lack of understanding of the regulations can be detrimental to a company's success. are working to comply as well as detailed overview of both directives.

J.P. Brisson, Senior Associate at Allen & Overy, clarified what products and companies are impacted by the directives and outlined exemptions under WEEE and RoHS. He went on to recommend companies establish a due diligence system to fully comply with these regulations.

John Cridland, Deputy Director General, Confederation of British Industry,  flew in from the UK to provide one EU member state’s perspective and why is Europe doing this. He also discussed how the UK’s system differs from that of neighboring countries and offered an update on implementation progress in Europe.

The morning panel ended with an extended Q&A session with the speakers. Seated left to right: Becky Linder, AeA; J.P. Brisson, Allen & Overy; Ken Rivlin, Allen & Overy and John Cridland, Confederation of British Industry

After a networking lunch break, attendees heard from a panel of AeA member companies who shared best practices in handling these issues. 

Arthur N. Mabbett, President & Founder of The Mabbett Group, discussed company trends in compliance and proposed corporate strategy implementation for success. He addressed the importance of engaging senior management and encouraged companies to use strategic planning as a way to stay ahead of the competition.

Kristine Kalaijian, Environmental Product Steward, spoke to how Philips Medical Systems has created an EcoDesign Program that integrates environmental requirements into the product creation process. This process was developed to reduce the product's total environmental impact throughout all the stages of its lifecycle. As an example, Kris pointed to the significant reductions in Eco-Indicator value, weight, energy use and packaging for one product as a result of the EcoDesign Program.

Stephen Greene, Senior Product Stewardship Associate and Senior Project Manager at The Mabbett Group, addressed some of the challenges for small companies in design for the environment. He took the point that compliance can be a opportunity to differentiate your business from the competition. This can be achieved by creating compliance awareness within the design team and focusing on supplier and budget management.

For the second year, John Burkitt, Manager Environmental Programs, Hewlett-Packard, joined AeA to speak on supply chain management and how his company has adapted internal procedures to comply. He described how Hewlett-Packard has created a cross-functional team to engage suppliers early and drive industry standardization.

Thomas Cronin, Director, Environmental Health and Safety Group, Mabbett & Associates, Inc., discussed how to incorporate environmental considerations into purchasing decisions and supplier management practices. He stressed that lack of knowledge or inadequate information could be inhibiting factors in the business process. He encouraged companies to exert control over the supply chain by emphasizing dialogue and partnerships with suppliers.

After the presentations, the afternoon panel took questions from the audience. Seated left to right: Stephen Greene, The Mabbett Group; Kristine Kalaijian, Philips Medical Systems; Arthur N. Mabbett, The Mabbett Group; John Burkitt, Hewlett-Packard and Thomas Cronin, Mabbett & Associates, Inc.

The impacts of E-Waste laws are quite numerous and complicated affecting the entire manufacturing and supply chain, so attendees were encouraged to share what they had learned with other company departments as well as to become an active member on AeA committees focused on this area. Please call AeA's Anne Doherty Johnson to learn more about these committees. For more information on this issue, see the AeA/Allen & Overy report.

Due to interest in the topic, AeA New England will likely hold an update in the near  future. In the meantime, to learn more about this issue and how your company is impacted, call the AeA office at 781.938.1925, x105.

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