The RE4view newsletter has recently been launched by ERA Technology Ltd to keep the electrical and electronic industries well informed about sweeping developments in recycling technology and legislation to meet the global demand for environmentally friendly equipment. Joining its well-respected sister publication, Safety and EMC Newsletter, RE4view aims to help subscribers meet these new requirements with minimum disruption to their business, giving them competitive advantage by staying one step ahead.

As pressure is growing on manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment for ecologically friendly products, producers need to be taking action now to discover what aspects of their equipment design will need to change. Equipment needs to be designed to be recycled easily with the maximum recovery of materials for reuse. RE4view is designed to help companies examine advances in recycling technology and understand the impact of changes to legislation , in particular three proposed directives.

The Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) will increase recycling and recovery of waste from equipment. The Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS ) will ban lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and the flame- retardants PBBs and PBDEs. A sister directive to WEEE, the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (EEE) will encourage environmental design for electrical and electronic products across the life cycle . Scheduled to come into force before the end of 2002, the full impact of WEEE and RoHS, on the electrical and electronics industries, will be as great as that of the introduction of the EMC Directive.

“RE4view is a bi-monthly newsletter with no advertising that provides clear , concise and impartial information on the WEEE, EEE and RoHS directives’ progress through the European Parliament as well as future standards’ developments”, explains Rebecca Irons, Editor of RE4view at ERA. “Uniquely the newsletter also reviews technological developments, giving an understanding of the economic and reliability implications of using less hazardous or more recyclable materials.”

RE4view’s prestigious advisory panel comprises: Professor Martin Charter, Centre for Sustainable Design; Dr Tim Cooper, Sheffield Hallam University; Alan Dukinfield , RID UK Ltd; Peter Evans, Federation of Electronics Industry; Paul Goodman, ERA Technology Ltd; Thomas Parker, Electronics Coalition; Chris Robertson, ERA Technology Ltd; John Simmonds, Crawford, Hanford & Kimber; Graham Adams, Consultant; Thor Christian Wiik Svendsen, Hvitevareretur AS; and Professor Ab Stevels, Philips, Consumer Electronics.

RE4view is available for an annual subscription of £225 in either paper copy or electronic format. For further information please view a sample issue at http://shop.era.co.uk/products.asp?recnumber=26 or contact Information Products at ERA Technology Ltd, Cleeve Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 7SA, tel: +44 (0)1372 367425, fax: +44 (0)1372 367311 or e-mail: re4view@era.co.uk.