The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment

According to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive Annex II, "Equipment containing gases that are ozone depleting or have a global warming potential (GWP) above 15, such as those contained in foams and refrigeration circuits: the gases must be properly extracted and treated". The German RAL Quality Assurance Association recently questioned the WEEE Directive interpretation regarding the treatment of hydrocarbons used in refrigerators and freezers which usually have a GWP far below 15. The EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas confirmed there is a "clear obligation to remove liquid hydrocarbons, such as cyclopentane, from fridges and freezers."