An important new initiative developed by the European Commission called the Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) will help protect environmental health and safety by phasing out persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic materials like lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and halogenated flame retardants. It also calles for a provision requiring at least 5% recycled plastics in electronic and electrical products.

However, the American Electronics Association (AEA) doesn't want the WEEE initiative passed. The AEA asserts the proposed phase-out of the listed persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic materials and the provision requiring at least 5% recycled plastics in electronic and electrical products are "illegal" and violate World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.
Being pressured by the AEA, the US Trade Representative (USTR) is launching a new lobbying attack on the WEEE Directive. Rather than working to defend and protect our health and environment, the USTR staff is supporting the AEA's position.

Help protect the WEEE Directive. By supporting this, we are fighting for improved global standards for everyone. If adopted in Europe, this Directive will help our efforts for similar legislation in the US to reduce toxics and promote clean production. Send an email to Vice Pesident Gore (mailto:vice.president@whitehouse.gov)asking him to defend the WEEE.