Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
WEEE Directive
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations
which came into force in January 2007 aims to tackle the amount of
electrical and electronic equipment being sent to landfill.
The regulations encourage re-use and recycling and put an onus
on the producers and retailers to take responsibility for the
environmental impact of their electrical and electronic equipment
(EEE).
From July 2007 producers and retailers have either had
to offer in store take back of unwanted electrical goods or
join a compliance scheme to cover the waste costs of their
products.
All electrical and electronic equipment on the market must be
marked with a crossed out wheelie bin logo to remind consumers to
recycle these goods at the end of the product life.
Household Electrical Waste
Please avoid placing electrical goods (any product with a plug)
in your waste bin for the normal refuse collections. The Council’s
Recycling Centres have separate containers for recycling of this
waste from households within Bath and North East Somerset.
Please ensure you separate items on site into the appropriate
containers available for the following: -
- Televisions and computer monitors
- Fridges and Freezers
- Fluorescent tubes
- Mixed items – large and small household electrical appliances,
electrical tools, electrical toys, leisure and consumer
equipment.
These materials will then be transported to an appropriate
re-processor for recycling and safe disposal. More detailed
information on this is provided on our “what happens to our
materials” page of the website.
Some retailers will also be offering an in-store take back of
these goods. It would be advisable to check with the supplier when
purchasing new electrical or electronic goods on the best method of
ensuring their goods are recycled at the end of their product
life.
Further information on the new WEEE regulations can be found on
the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) website.
Electrical waste from a business
All businesses that use electrical or electronic equipment are
subject to the WEEE Regulations and must therefore store, treat and
recycle this separately to their other waste.
As a business it is important to retain proof that any
electrical or electronic waste was given to an appropriate waste
management company and dealt with a sustainable manner.
Free take back of unwanted goods may be available by the
producer under certain circumstances. Alternatively businesses will
need to arrange and pay for disposal of WEEE through an Approved
Authorised Treatment Facility (AATF).
The Sofa Project operates a Revamp
not-for-profit WEEE collection and reuse service in the Bristol
area.
Further details of the options available to businesses can be
found on the Environment Agency website link under the related
documents or by contacting Envirowise on 0800 585794.
