Green industry solutions News & Events 2007-10-22 Businesses are under pressure from governments and the public to be more environmentally aware. Here IBS eco warrior, Susanne Åsander, describes how using IBS software can actually benefit the environment. The electrical and electronic equipment industries are among the more advanced in the fight to be greener. Among other initiatives, specific eco-taxes have been created to ensure companies manage the disposal of goods in a safe and environmentally friendly way, in accordance with WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) regulations. The safe disposal of electronic and electrical products and components has been under scrutiny for some time and procedures and guidelines are fairly well established. Additional eco-tax is added to goods, either as a fixed value or a percentage depending on the country, and this cost must go toward recycling and disposal costs. For distributors in a competitive market, this means ensuring an efficient and manageable process for returning unused or exhausted goods from the customer back to the distributor for disposal. 
Accurate reporting
Distributors need to collaborate closely with the federations in their countries so they understand the specific requirements of how to manage the eco-tax and how to handle the main polluting articles. They can then work with a software vendor like IBS to develop the right levels of tracking of products to and from the customer, accompanied by the relevant data and statistics for accurate reporting.
This helps the distributor stock and sell products appropriately, and then establish how, when and where the customer will send back the exhausted products, following the most appropriate and cost-effective route for disposal. It also means the distributor can deliver detailed reports to the authorities confirming the company is acting within regulations and can therefore avoid potential fines or other punishment. The electrical industry is potentially a very big polluter, but it has recognized this for some time and is rapidly putting its house in order. IBS is in tune with the industry, and the company’s software and systems are designed to include effective environmental management within its processes. IBS is a true partner to the electronics industry and focuses on helping distributors meet their responsibilities efficiently and with minimal impact on the bottom line. New regulations
IBS also supports other industries, including chemical manufacturing. European Union companies that manufacture or import more than one metric ton of classified substances that can effect our environment per year need to comply with new chemicals regulations called REACH (Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals). The EU will adopt the United Nations’ global requirement for GHS, the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. IBS has done an initial investigation and is developing the functionality needed to cover the legal requirement in conjunction with REACH.
Illustration: Helena Lunding Contact IBS for more information. » | 
