Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers
Chapter 12: Regulatory
Rev A, October 27, 2021
Page 17
Regulatory
As required by the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive) of the European Community and
the corresponding national laws, Thorlabs offers all end users in the EC the possibility to return “end of life” units
without incurring disposal charges.
This offer is valid for Thorlabs electrical and electronic equipment:
•
Sold after August 13, 2005
•
M
arked correspondingly with the crossed out “wheelie bin” logo (see right)
•
Sold to a company or institute within the EC
•
Currently owned by a company or institute within the EC
•
Still complete, not disassembled and not contaminated
As the WEEE directive applies to self-contained operational electrical and electronic products, this end of life take
back service does not refer to other Thorlabs products, such as:
•
Pure OEM products, that means assemblies to be built into a unit by the user (e. g. OEM laser driver cards)
•
Components
•
Mechanics and optics
•
Left over
parts of units disassembled by the user (PCB’s, housings etc.).
If you wish to return a Thorlabs unit for waste recovery, please contact Thorlabs or your nearest dealer for further
information.
12.1. Waste Treatment is Your Own Responsibility
If you do not retu
rn an “end of life” unit to Thorlabs, you must hand it to a company specialized in waste recovery.
Do not dispose of the unit in a litter bin or at a public waste disposal site.
12.2. Ecological Background
It is well known that WEEE pollutes the environment by releasing toxic products during decomposition. The aim of
the European RoHS directive is to reduce the content of toxic substances in electronic products in the future.
The intent of the WEEE directive is to enforce the recycling of WEEE. A controlled recycling of end of life products
will thereby avoid negative impacts on the environment.
Wheelie Bin Logo
