lEuropean Union: On Dec. 18, 2002, the European Parliament approved legislation to enact an EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive, which in part mandates manufacturers to pay the entire cost of recycling end-of-life electronic products starting in 2005.
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lThe EU also adopted a rule that starting in 2006 will prohibit electronics makers from using lead, mercury, and other heavy metals in their products.
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lFour global electronics firms, including H-P and Sony, have agreed to consider jointly purchasing services to comply with this directive.