Product category:
Industrial Drives/Controls
News Release from: ABB Automation Tech (Drives and Motors)
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 15 March 2006
Drive maker surpasses WEEE directive
With established recycling scheme, drive maker is ahead of European WEEE directive that will oblige manufacturers to take back and recycle certain types of electrical and electronic equipment.
ABB recycled more than 11tonne of electrical and electronic waste from its variable speed drives last year The company's collection in 2005 was up by 57% on 2004 and by 100% on 2003
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 8 Feb 2000 at 8.00am (UK)
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As an environmentally conscious manufacturer, ABB collects old drives that have been replaced by newer ABB models, or even those produced by other manufacturers, and dismantles them.
The drives are recycled in accordance with the Environment Act of 1990 in the UK, which stipulates how different materials should be disposed of.
Recyclable materials such as copper and aluminium are recovered, with hazardous waste such as electrolytic capacitors being sent to specialist disposal facilities.
Up to 90% by weight of ABB's drives can be reused or recycled.
In the UK, ABB has an agreement with recycling company and approved waste carrier, RID, to transport and recycle the drives.
The company collects from the premises of ABB Drives Alliance partners, which have designated recycling bins for drives.
For large drives or large quantities of smaller drives, RID collects direct from the user.
Once the drive has been removed for recycling, ABB issues a certificate that can be used for environmental audits by users complying with ISO 14001.
With its established recycling scheme, ABB is ahead of new legislation.
Under the European directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), manufacturers will become obliged to take back and recycle certain types of electrical and electronic equipment.
Although the directive will not cover drives, ABB provides the service as an added benefit.
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