A new specification which aims to help reduce illegal exports of WEEE by making it easier to identify whether used electrical equipment is truly fit for reuse and can therefore legally be sent overseas has been launched today (April 18 2011). The PAS 141 specification is also expected to encourage the growth of the reuse sector by giving potential purchasers of reuse electrical and electronic equipment (REEE) confidence that it has met standards in areas such as safety and guarantees of functionality.

And, it also aims to assure electronics manufacturers that the placing of products on the market for reuse will not adversely affect their brands or reputations for safety and quality. The specification is formally titled the ‘PAS 141: 2011 Reuse of used and waste electrical and electronic equipment (UEEE and WEEE)’ and has been published by the British Standards Institute (BSI), on behalf of the department for business, innovation and skills (BIS). It was developed by a working group run as part of the now-defunct government WEEE Advisory Body, and according to the BSI it is the first of its kind in the European Union.

PAS 141:2011 Reuse of used and waste electrical and electronic equipment (UEEE and WEEE). Process management. Specification: PAS 141 specifies requirements for managing the process of preparing used and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) for reuse. It covers the preparation for reuse of equipment and components. It is applicable to organizations that prepare equipment for reuse
The main aims of this PAS are to:

a) encourage the reuse of WEEE as promoted by the WEEE Directive (EU Directive) (2002/96/EC), Article 1;
b) reduce the amount of WEEE sent to landfill and incineration by diverting WEEE to be prepared for reuse;
c) provide a framework for assuring consumers of the quality and safety of REEE as differentiated from WEEE and UEEE that has not been prepared for reuse;
d) provide a framework for assuring manufacturers that the placing of products on the market for reuse will not adversely affect their brands or reputations for safety and quality;
e) deter the illegal export of WEEE under the guise of sham reuse;
f) provide a tool for identifying REEE that has been subject to the preparing for reuse process set out in this PAS;
g) encourage job creation in organizations involved in preparing WEEE and UEEE for reuse.