Why the surprise?

In researching the article on the European environmental directives WEEE and RoHS (p. 71), I was struck by the level of surprise that seemed to surround these issues. The directives themselves were published two years ago, yet they are still news for many in the US electronics industry. Why?

In my own case, I can only say that my editorial efforts have been diffused over the last several years, without a single focus. As such, I have gaps in my overall view of the industry. Activity in Europe, for instance, is not something I cover frequently. Not a good excuse, but there it is. Many US companies that do business in Europe do not have that excuse.

From what I can gather, large multinational companies seem to have the highest level of awareness and are well on the road to implementing many of the provisions in the directives. The smaller companies, however, do not seem to be as well prepared.

Several possibilities come to mind for the lack of awareness. One might be that the downturn that began in 2001 has kept companies focused on survival, not long-term planning. Also, that downturn may have caused companies to cut the staffing that would have been responsible for tracking these types of regulatory issues.

What are your experiences and opinions on these directives and the industry's response? How do you keep informed about changes in international regulations, and how do you plan to comply? Let us know.

Contact Richard A. Quinnell at richquinnell@att.net .