WEEE Disposal Guide

2 million tonnes of WEEE waste items are discarded every year by households and companies in the UK. The original WEEE Directive was introduced in the UK in 2006 focussing on recovery, reuse, recycling and treatment of WEEE.

As of 2014 new laws were past known as the Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment Regulations, these new laws transposed the WEEE directive implemented by the European Union as of 2012. These new regulations widened the criteria for products covered by the WEEE directive.

These laws mean waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) must not be taken to landfill and must be disposed of in the correct way. They are also an item not allowed to be put in a skip. 

What is WEEE?

WEEE stands for waste electric and electronic equipment. WEEE products includes:

• Large household appliances: fridges, microwaves, washing machines and dishwashers

• Small household appliances: vacuums , irons, toasters and clocks

• IT and telecommunications equipment: personal computers and telephones 

• Consumer equipment: radios, televisions, mobile phones and musical instruments

• Lighting equipment: fluorescent tubes and high intensity discharge lamps

• Electrical and electronic tools: drills, saws and sewing machines, electric lawnmowers

• Toys, leisure and sports equipment: electric trains, games consoles and running machines

• Medical Equipment: analysers, medical freezers and cardiology equipment

• Monitoring and control equipment: smoke detectors, thermostats and heating regulators

• Automatic dispensers: hot drinks dispensers and money dispensers

What are the Objectives of the WEEE Directive?

The aims of the directive are:

• Prevent the creation of WEEE as a priority

• Contribute to the efficient use of resources and secondary raw materials through re-use, recycling and recovery.

• Improve the environmental performance of everyone involved in the life cycle of electronic and electric equipment

The WEEE directive is trying to achieve these aims by:

• Requiring the separate collection and proper treatment of WEEE

• Helping European Countries to fight illegal waste export

• Reducing administrative burden by harmonisation of the national EEE registers

How do I get rid of WEEE?

WEEE waste must be taken to an approved authorised treatment facility where the waste electrical or electronic equipment is recycled. This is required by UK law.

 Your options for WEEE disposal are:

• Take the WEEE to your local recycling centre. This will require a mode of transport to move the waste items. Check with your local council where your nearest recycling centre is, that accepts waste electrical and electronic equipment.

   

• Have an electrical waste disposal company collect WEEE waste. This is the most convenient option. You pay for a company to come and collect the items. They will then dispose of the electronic equipment following what the WEEE directive requires.

   

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Why does WEEE waste have to be Treated Differently?

Waste electrical and electronic equipment contains a mixture of material. some of which are hazardous. These hazardous components can cause harm to human health and the environment, therefore must be disposed of in the correct way.

Furthermore modern electrical equipment contains valuable resources that can be recycled and reused. Therefore the waste electrical items need to be broken down carefully with the valuable resources removed.

Summary

WEEE must be disposed of in the correct manner. You must comply with the WEEE directive and recycle the electrical equipment.

Your main options for disposal are to take the WEEE items to an authorised treatment facility yourself or have a waste management company specialising in WEEE disposal to do it for you.