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A new Specification - PAS 141

Perfectly timed in relation to the plethora of illegal exports is the introduction of a new specification called PAS 141.  This standard has been launched to make it easier to identify whether used electrical equipment is definitely fit for reuse in the UK and also therefore can legally be sent overseas. The specification, formally titled the ‘PAS 141: 2011 Reuse of used and waste electrical and electronic equipment (UEEE and WEEE)’, has been published by the British Standards Institution (BSI), on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).  It is expected to encourage the growth of the reuse sector by giving the potential purchasers of reuse electrical and electronic equipment (REEE) confidence that it has met standards in areas such as safety and guarantees of functionality. It also aims to assure electronics manufacturers that the placing of products on the market for reuse will not adversely affect their brands or reputations for safety and quality. 

Under the PAS 141, anyone involved in WEEE reuse will be expected to meet requirements for testing and inspecting equipment, as well as tracking equipment through the process of preparing it for reuse and recording the tests carried out – both for reuse in the UK and overseas.