Recycling electrical and electronic equipment

Whether you're replacing a broken toaster, upgrading your computer or getting a bigger fridge, chances are you'll want to get rid of the old kit to make way for the new. In general, that means throwing things away.

Most of us have an idea of how to recycle other household waste - such as bottles, plastic, garden waste and food. But what about WEEE? How do we go about responsibly disposing of it?

Retailers and manufacturers take responsibility for WEEE
New regulations governing the proper disposal of WEEE make it the duty of all electrical goods makers and retailers to pay for collecting and recycling WEEE. In other words, they are bound by law to make it possible for their customers to dispose of their waste equipment free of charge.

Retailers selling electrical goods must provide their customers with a clear explanation of how they can return their WEEE - whether the old equipment was bought from them or not. Every retailer must either offer to take back the old kit in-store, or be part of the Distributor Take back Scheme and tell you where you can recycle it. This scheme supports recycling drop off areas where you can dispose of WEEE quickly and for free. Some retailers even offer a service to pick up your old bulky appliances from your home, so remember to ask when you buy.

What exactly is WEEE?
In general, products that need electricity for their main function are classed as WEEE. The types of household electrical and electronic equipment covered by the WEEE Regulations include:

• household appliances (washing machines, kettles, vacuum cleaners etc)
• IT and telecoms equipment (laptops, mobile phones, monitors etc)
• consumer goods (stereos, TVs etc)
• tools (drills, electric saws, sanders etc)
• leisure and sports goods (video games consoles, hand held computer games, sports equipment with electric or electronic components etc)

Whenever you buy a new electronic product, look out for the WEEE symbol ? a crossed-out wheelie bin, this means that you can recycle it.

How can you make a difference?
As a consumer, think before you buy The simplest way for us all to reduce the need to dispose of WEEE is to buy less of it. By simply following the three Rs - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - we can all help. So, next time you're thinking of buying something electrical ask yourself:

• Do you really need to buy the product, or can you borrow or rent it?
• If it really is broken beyond repair, how can you recycle it?

And, of course, if an old product is still working but you simply have no need for it, you should ask yourself: can I reduce its environmental impact by giving it to someone else or selling it, rather than throwing it away?

If you're not buying new equipment but still want to dispose of WEEE, all your usual methods of disposal are not affected by the new regulations. You will still be able to dispose of WEEE by taking it to your local household waste recycling site too. In addition, many local authorities run schemes to take away residents' old fridges, for instance.

Always look for the Energy Saving Recommended logo

And remember to always look for the Energy Saving Recommended logo when buying a new product. It's your guarantee that these products are the most efficient in their category.

Find out more about WEEE:
Visit the Recycle-more website
Visit the weeeman website
Visit the Environment Agency website

References:

¹ BERR
² Directgov

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