THE chips could be down for computer equipment manufacturers who have been accused by Worcestershire MEP Liz Lynne of designing goods which self destruct.

The Liberal Democrat has accused leading manufacturers across the globe of fitting "clever chips" to prevent the recycling of their equipment.

Now the MEP, who has vowed to stop the practice, hopes to outlaw the chips when the European Parliament meets today.

She said companies in Britain, which repair equipment and refill cartridges, have claimed manufacturers are using the chips to curb competition and keep prices high.

She added the repair industry, which employs 30,000 people in Britain, had pointed to a chip which enabled inkjet cartridges to destroy themselves when they ran out of ink.

Volume

"The volume of electronic waste being discarded each year is growing fast," she said. "The environmental priority should be to encourage its re-use without the need to break it up and melt it down."

The MEP has joined forces with North-West Lib-Dem MEP Chris Davis in putting an amendment to a draft directive which requires EU governments to ensure goods have not been designed to prevent reuse.

"It is quite obvious that clever chips intended to prevent recycling break the spirit of this new law," added Mrs Lynne.

"We need to deter manufacturers now before they think of even more ways of using the technology to curb competition."