[Query] WEEE is a "Priority Waste Stream"

Nope, you read the title correctly. It would appear that the authors of the EU Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment were never aged four at any point.

The aim seems to be to reduce the polluting effects of the vast quantity of electronic equipment going to landfill as things become obsolete with increasing rapidity. Good call. This includes everything from electronic toys to computers.

The plan appears to be to put the onus on the "producers" to fund the collection and disposal of the WEEE, and household users will not be charged. (OK, this might mean increased prices for those of us on the consumer end ...) However, I foresee a couple of potential snags - one is what the Directive refers to as "orphan" WEEE - that for which the producer is no longer in business. The cost of processing this WEEE will be shared out among the current producers. But what will happen with kit-built hardware? Additionally, it states that producers may enter into agreements with business users to share the costs of processing. Any bets that will become a standard part of the small print for business hardware contracts?

There has been an additional suggestion that this may have an impact on the donation of IT equipment to charities (obviously a subject close to my job heart). Does anyone have any more information regarding this?

[Re-pimping] Picnic, Sunday, London

Just for publicity's sake ...

The main details are here, and there is a follow-up cat-herding success quiz here. Another fine event by jhaelan.

Hurrah. And yes, I shall be taking time out of my revision to come along!

[Quiz] Here be thepaintedone's latest movie quiz

Here it is. Have a go. You know you want to!