Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

About

A 2011 report by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) shows almost a quarter of waste electrical items taken to UK Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRC's) have a reuse value. 23% is either immediately resalable or resalable following viable repair and refurbishment and 12% is still in full working order.

Law

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive) sets collection, recycling and recovery targets for all types of electrical goods across Europe. It is transposed into UK law by the WEEE Regulations, which include legislation on producer responsibility. The Regulations require manufacturers and retailers to achieve minimum levels of WEEE recycling and recovery at their own expense when new purchases are made.

Donate it

Working or valuable items

• Donate unwanted but functioning electrical equipment to some charity shops  including Wandsworth Oasis, Salvation Army, British Red Cross and British Heart Foundation. (The BHF also offer free collections, phone 0844 412 5000.) 
• Trade or give away your unwanted items through a free community exchange scheme, your local paper or an online auction site.

Dispose of it

Broken items

• WEEE can be taken to a Household Waste and Recycling Centre: at Cringle Street, Battersea and Smugglers Way, Wandsworth.  
• BJ Electronics (UK) Ltd can collect both working and broken electrical items free of charge including computers, televisions, cookers, microwaves, audio equipment, washing machines, fridges, freezers and dishwashers.  To arrange a free collection, call (020) 8520 4447 or email: info@bjelectronicsltd.co.uk. 
• You can request a chargeable bulky waste collection service for bulky items. Those in good condition can be refurbished and sold on via the reuse service.
• Businesses can try WEEE Collect or http://www.123recycleforfree.com/ (free)
• Small items of domestic WEEE can be put in the bin with your other rubbish, but WEEE from non-domestic sources must be kept separate from other waste so that it can be recycled.

Take it back

Like-for-like purchases

Retailers and distributors of electrical and electronic products to domestic consumers are required to provide a free take-back service of WEEE instore when customers are making a like-for-like purchase of new equipment. If the retailer is a member of the Distributor Take-back Scheme (DTS) they will direct you to the nearest disposal facility, which in Wandsworth are the two Household Waste and Recycling Centres. 

Sell it

As-new or broken items for parts

Auction or set an asking price using eBay or other online classified sites. Or put an ad in your local paper. People may want your broken/ faulty item for parts or to fix themselves. 

Which products are classified as WEEE?

• Household appliances (washing machines, vacuum cleaners, toasters)
• IT and telecoms equipment (laptops, mobile phones, keyboards)
• Consumer equipment (televisions, radios)
• Lighting equipment (excluding household lamps and filament bulbs)
• Electrical and electronic tools (electric drills and saws)
• Toys and sports equipment (games consoles, electric train sets)

Products covered by the WEEE regulations will display the symbol of the crossed-out wheelie bin (above). This means that non-domestic waste producers must keep their WEEE separate from other waste for recycling.

Computers

From the Smugglers Way reuse and recycling centre PC equipment is dealt with by SWEEEP Ltd. The plant is powered entirely by renewable energy, and staff break up TV and PC screens by hand, separating out the component materials for recycling into new products.

If you have a computer still in working order you can donate it to educational, agricultural, health or other not-for-profit organisations in developing countries through Computer Aid International. 

Use eBay's InstantSale (see above)

Low-energy light bulbs

• Low-energy light bulbs contain small amounts of mercury. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) advises to vacate a room for at least 15 minutes if these bulbs are broken.
• For domestic waste, dispose of them with your usual rubbish (please wrap bulbs to avoid injury to collection staff).
• Or, put the bulb in a sealed plastic bag and take it to one of the reuse and recycling centres.
• Unbroken used bulbs can be taken back to the retailer. If the owner is a member of the Distributor Takeback Scheme (DTS) they will direct you to the nearest Designated Collection Facility (DCF), which in Wandsworth is either the Smuggler's Way or Cringle Street Household Waste and Recycling Centre.