NI meets worldwide take-back requirements for the products it sells, including requirements such as regional directives on waste electrical and electronic equipment and on battery recycling. NI keeps up with this rapidly evolving area of legislation through careful monitoring of regional legislation and complies with relevant regulations through this global take-back program.
Through the NI global take-back program, NI covers all costs of returning its hardware products and ensures that the products are properly recycled. This service helps reduce the impact on landfills and other disposal sites and provides an environmentally safe end-of-life solution. For more information on recycling, email recycling@ni.com.
In 2012, the European Parliament and the Council adopted Directive 2012/19/EU on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) to encourage reuse, recycling, and recovery of this waste. The directive also aims to improve the environmental performance of all operators involved in the life cycle of electrical and electronic equipment, especially those dealing with waste equipment.
Member states were required to adopt legislation by February 14, 2014. The regulations apply to all electrical and electronic equipment put on the European Union market after 2005. WEEE products can fall into one of 10 categories according to the WEEE directive. NI products fall under Category 9, Monitoring and Control Instruments. NI actively works with its branch offices and subsidiaries in Europe to fully comply with these regulations as local legislation passes.
The European Parliament and the Council adopted Directive 2006/66/EC on batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators with the intent of reducing the impact on the environment and increasing recycling.
Member states were required to adopt national legislation by September 26, 2008. NI actively works with NI branch offices and subsidiaries in Europe to fully comply with these regulations as local legislation passes. The directive entails obligations such as labeling, registration, recycling, and restriction of batteries containing lead, cadmium, and mercury.
The labeling of batteries consists of the crossed-out wheelie bin symbol, including the battery capacity, and the chemical symbol for lead, cadmium, or mercury if contained in amounts above the legal threshold limits. The symbol indicates that the batteries used in the product should be disposed of separately from municipal waste. For NI products, the predominant battery type is coin cell, which provides continuous power for constant memory. These batteries are incorporated or embedded into appliances, intended to last for the life of the product, and separated from the appliance during the treatment phase of the appliance as required under the WEEE directive.
Certain NI products are accompanied by removable lead-acid/alkaline batteries that are also for continuous power supply. Please check the product user manual regarding removability.
NI works to ensure proper collection and recycling by joining collection and recycling schemes. The company expects customers in the European Union to use the collection and recycling systems in place and properly dispose of all batteries.
Proper disposal of batteries reduces the environmental impact and risk to human health. For additional information about the potentially harmful effects of substances used in batteries on human health and the environment, visit the US Environmental Protection Agency or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
In 2011, the government of India’s Ministry of Environment and Forests enacted the E-Waste Management and Handling Rules to encourage reuse, recycling, and recovery of this waste. The rules also aim to improve the environmental performance of all operators involved in the life cycle of electrical and electronic equipment, especially those dealing with waste equipment.