The Disposal of White and Brown Goods

In order to attain waste reduction and the closing of material life cycles, the Dutch Ministry of Environment made an attempt to sign a covenant with the producers and importers of household appliances (the so-called white and brown goods). The negotiations started in 1992 involving all stakeholders: representatives of the producers and importers, the government (state, provincial and local level), the processing industry, the retailers and the environmental organisations. But some of the issues could not be solved and the discussions did not result in a covenant. From 1994 on, government started to prepare for regulation on the matter. Finally, in 1998 the White and Brown Goods Disposal Order was published. The Order arranges the producers’ responsibility regarding the disposal of white and brown goods. After publication of the Order the sector started to develop a plan for disposal and processing of white and brown goods. Discussions with local authorities resulted in a logistical system for collection and disposal of the goods. As of January 1, 1999 the system has become operational and seems to work reasonably well. In the meanwhile the sector embraced the system, even to the point that its chairman (Coops, 2000) presents it as a product of responsible self-regulation and co-operation with government, in an article that is introduced as dealing with ‘the success of an environmental covenant’.