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   WEEE Compliance for Germany

   Collection and Recycling Arrangements in Germany

Under the Germany Act Governing the Sale, Return and Environmentally Sound Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (ElektroG) which came into force on August 13th 2005, the producer of certain types of electrical and electronic equipment must arrange for the collection and recycling of its products once it becomes waste. This equipment is known as waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Under the ElektroG Act, the producer of certain types of electrical and electronic equipment is required to provide arrangements for the collection, treatment, recycling and recovery of certain new electrical and electronic equipment that you buy from them after March 24th 2006, when that new equipment eventually becomes waste.

Industrial Inkjet supplies inkjet printer heads and control system electronics which are designed to be integrated into an inkjet printer. Inkjet printer heads and control system electronics are components that are not covered by any of the requirements of the ElektroG Act. Although there is no legal requirement for Industrial Inkjet to arrange for the collection and recycling of its products once these become waste, Industrial Inkjet is an environmentally responsible company. We have therefore decided to establish a voluntary take-back and recycling service in Germany to ensure the environmentally sound treatment and disposal of our products.

Industrial Inkjet products are very competitively priced. Any new increase in operating costs for manufacturers such as Industrial Inkjet is normally reflected in a price increase in the product. However, instead of increasing the prices of our products, Industrial Inkjet has decided to share these new environmental costs directly with our customers. We believe in being transparent with you on any new environmental costs that our products need to address.

Our approach to sharing these new environmental costs is:

• Industrial Inkjet pays for the costs of treatment, recycling and recovery of its products heads once these become waste.
• Industrial Inkjet pays for the costs of data management and reporting to demonstrate the environmentally sound treatment and disposal of its products.
• You pay for transportation of Industrial Inkjet products once these have become waste to Industrial Inkjet's appointed recycler in Germany.

Industrial Inkjet has established a recycling contract with the European Advanced Recycling Network (EARN) and will cover any costs of treatment, recycling and recovery of the printer heads on arrival at the EARN facility in Germany. Industrial Inkjet printer heads that have become waste are classed as non-hazardous waste.

It is your responsibility to arrange and pay for costs collection and transportation to EARN. Under German waste management regulations, you are free to use any carrier you wish to collect and transport non-hazardous waste to the EARN recycler.

For larger quantities of waste you may wish to contact the recycler directly in order to arrange and pay for an alternative collection method. The Industrial Inkjet recycler in Germany is: