Introduction
This article is based on The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2006 (the WEEE Regulations).
It is useful reading for businesses in industries that manufacture, sell, import, export, re-brand, distribute, recycle, treat or dismantle electrical or electronic equipment (EEE), or manage the logistics for doing so, or use and dispose of EEE in the United Kingdom
What is WEEE?
From 1 July 2007, producers and retailers are responsible for taking back and recovering or disposing of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) from businesses and householders.
If your business uses EEE, there are two main requirements under the WEEE Regulations. You must:
- store, collect, treat, recycle and dispose of WEEE separately from your other waste;
- obtain and keep proof that your WEEE was given to an authorised waste management company, and was treated and disposed of in an environmentally sound way
The legislation aims to reduce waste production and improve recycling rates by moving much of the responsibility for waste management onto producers rather than local authorities or taxpayers.
The main producer requirements of the WEEE legislation are expected to come into force from 1 April 2007, subject to further consultation. Producers - a term that includes manufacturers, sellers and distributors - will have a number of responsibilities.
Does WEEE apply to me?
If your business manufactures, sells, distributes, recycles or treats electrical or electronic equipment, then you're likely to be affected by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations.
The regulations apply to EEE that operates within a voltage range of up to 1,000 volts AC or up to 1,500 volts DC, including battery-powered products, and which fall into any of ten product categories. These range from small household appliances to medical equipment and large automatic dispensers. The ten categories are:
- large household appliances
- small household appliances
- IT & Telecommunications equipment
- Consumer equipment
- lighting equipment
- electrical and electronic tools
- toys leisure and sports equipment
- medical devices
- Monitoring and control instruments
- automatic dispensers
Disposal of old equipment: your responsibilities
Most business equipment will need to be replaced and disposed of at some point owing to breakdown or wear and tear. In particular, with the fast pace of innovation in the IT market, computer equipment can have a short shelf-life if you want to keep up with the latest technology.
- Financing the collection and treatment of WEEE products deposited by private households from specially established collection centres.
- Financing the collection (from users other than private householders), treatment, recovery and disposal of WEEE products placed on the market after the implementation date. Producers will need to have "end-of-life plans" for products they produce, sell or distribute after this date. For example, designing products so that most of its parts can be recycled.
- Financing the collection (from users other than private householders), treatment, recovery and disposal of WEEE products placed on the market before the implementation date, although they may be able to recoup some of this cost from the user.
- Joining a producer compliance scheme by 15 March 2007.
- Marking their products with a crossed-out wheeled bin symbol from 1 April 2007.
- Meeting demanding recovery and recycling targets.
Remember that if you don't comply with the WEEE regulation requirements you'll face a penalty which might be a fine, a ban on your products, or even imprisonment.
Why an equipment disposal policy makes good business sense
The appropriate disposal of old equipment isn't simply a chore that has to be carried out in order to comply with regulations - it also makes good business sense to have a policy on how and when you do it.
Benefits – you will:
- save money. If you have an effective policy for equipment disposal, you could, for instance, recycle by reconditioning and selling on old equipment or dismantle it for parts.
- increase the amount of space you have in the workplace by disposing of expired, faulty or redundant equipment.
- gain a public relations advantage by recycling. You can position yourself as an environmentally-friendly business because it shows that you appreciate the harm caused by casual disposal.
- avoid the risk of breaching legislation on waste disposal. All businesses have a Duty of Care (responsibility) for the waste they produce.
- have the satisfaction of knowing that your business has responsible environmental management practices.
You should formulate your policy on the disposal of old equipment as part of your general environmental management policy.
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