administrative offence

Compliance is key to effective environmental law. Serious offences of environmental law are therefore sanctioned as an administrative offence with an administrative fine or even as a criminal offence punishable by a fine or imprisonment. These environmental protection regulations are important to deter potential perpetrators.

The aims of the German Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG) are "to protect the environment and health" and "to conserve natural resources". The basic prerequisites for achieving these aims are to prevent waste and an efficent, high quality recycling. The ElektroG also requires producers to assume responsibility for the entire life cycle of their products.