The reason for directives

Joel Deutsch argues that the USA should adopt European-style environmental directives.

We live in a throw away culture designed to feed and create a sustainable growth in manufacturing.

This cycle of replace and not re-use has been and will continue to be influenced by government, media and their current quality standards.

This practice, though economically stimulating, has created overwhelming amounts of what is now toxic heavy metal scrap materials destined for overseas and local recycling.

This scrap material is either headed for landfills or refineries, which results in putting toxins in the air or ground, which eventually will effect our ground water and what we drink.

It is from this process that the very real discovery of health related issues has been traced and linked to the materials and chemicals we use in manufacturing and the life cycle disposal of those products.

The idea of legally imposed environmental directives and controlled regulations is an excellent first step in recognising and establishing a plan to correct our environmental oversights.

Kudos to RoHS, WEEE, Green and other directives, their supporters and participants.

But at what expense and to whom?.

Are the US companies with needs to comply with imposed regulations left hanging out to dry?.

The summarised basis of the WEEE Directive is that every company that manufactures and is selling its products into the EU must have a plan to repair, re-use or recycle 75% of weight from the products' generated scrap materials; but in America we offer no incentives to co-operating manufacturers, no tax credit for offering recycled products to the public and no government backed media blitz supporting the American public in buying those goods.

Europe and certain other countries are far ahead of the curve at having a support culture, government and media to create a working E-friendly society with health for its people as their incentive and the preservation of our planet for all life as global motivation.

It is time we as a country create a change in the mindset of Americans for the benefit of our people not the all mighty dollar.

It is time to shift priorities to the care and health of our people and preservation of our citizens.

Back to top