1. Reason for revision

A policy shift is required from safe disposal (Waste Charges) to recycling (EcoAS: Eco-Assurance System of Electrical and Electronic Equipment and Vehicles) as it is now possible to recycle most commercially available electrical and electronic products thanks to the development of recycling technologies and markets.

2. Main contents

a. The revision proposes a restriction on the use of harmful substances and an increase in the number of electrical and electronic products subject to mandatory recollection, transfer, and recycling to include all electrical and electronic products (Article 8, Article 14, Article 15-3, Article 15-5, Article 36-3, Appendix 3-4, Appendix 2, and Appendix 4 of the draft, and deletion of Appendix 1 and Appendix 3).

1) It imposes the obligation to restrict the use of harmful substances on all electrical and electronic products, except for those falling under any of the subparagraphs of Article 8 (1) (Article 8 of the draft).

2) It imposes the obligation to recollect, transfer, recycle or recover all electrical and electronic products, except those falling under any of the subparagraphs of Article 14 (Article 14 and Article 15-5 of the draft).

3) It proposes the deletion of Appendix 1, which defines those electrical and electronic products subject to restrictions on the use of harmful substances, and Appendix 3, which defines those electrical and electronic products subject to recollection, transfer and recycling obligations, since those subject to such categories have been extended to include all electrical and electronic products.

4) As Appendix 3 has been deleted, the items whose regulation is to be reviewed (scope of electrical and electronic products subject to collection, transfer and recycling obligations) will be redefined by Article 14 alone (Article 36-3 of the draft).

5) As Appendix 3 has been deleted, solar panels are provided separately (Article 15-3 of the draft).

6) As Appendix 3 has been deleted, the necessary product category for calculating mandatory recovery quantity and setting the recognition standards for recycling performance (recovery performance) are redefined to Appendix 5 (Appendix 3-4 and Appendix 4 of the draft).

7) It increases the number of items excepted from those subject to application of the standards of harmful substance content from batteries in mobile phone terminals to batteries embedded in electrical and electronic products, since the types of electrical and electronic products containing batteries have increased, other than mobile phone terminals (Appendix 2 of the draft).

b. The revision proposes a reclassification of the existing product categories (1. Temperature Exchange Equipment; 3. Communications and Office Equipment; 4. General Electrical and Electronic Products) into the category of large-size products (1. Temperature Exchange Equipment, etc.) and the category of small and medium-sized products (4. General Electrical and Electronic Products) (Appendix 5 of the draft).

c. When the recycling dues concern electrical and electronic products, the relevant party is exempted from the obligation to submit the recycling and recovery obligation fulfillment plan and the result report (Article 16 (2) and Appendix 8 of the draft).

d. The revision provides for a reduction of fines for voluntary reporting of compliance with hazardous substance content standards in electrical and electronic products, even if it is not the first offense (Appendix 8 of the draft).