INTELLIGENT DISPOSAL/RECYCLING

WEEE Directive – Layman’s terms

The WEEE directive is complicated and often raises more questions than answers.
Whilst comprehensive and up to date information can be found on the Environment
Agency’s website we have provided a summary which we hope will provide
a straight forward explanation.

How does it affect my business?

Within the WEEE Directive is the Hazardous Waste Act 2005. Under this legislation any company that disposes of more than 500kg of hazardous electronic equipment per annum has to register with the Environment Agency as a producer of hazardous waste. General IT related equipment that falls under this category are CRT & TFT monitors, fluorescent tubes and lead acid batteries, thus if you are not disposing of monitors, batteries or fluorescent tubes you probably do not need to register. As a guide, if you dispose of 40 or more 17” CRT monitors per annum then you will have to register.

What if my business has multiple sites?

If you have multiple sites then each site that exceeds the 500kg limit will need to register.

How do I register?

You can register online with the Environment Agency at the following link. Click here Registration costs £18.00 per site or alternatively we can do this for you for £18 plus a £2 admin fee.

What about other electronic equipment?

Under the WEEE Directive you cannot “dump” redundant electronic equipment, and you will have to engage the services of a reputable IT disposal company. In addition to your recycling responsibilities you must adhere to the Data Protection Act and ensure that all data is wiped and certified.

There are many reputable companies now operating who will provide a bonafide service, however there are also many less scrupulous companies operating who do not.

For an unbiased appraisal of the IT disposal industry please refer to our section ‘Info/FAQ’. This will hopefully highlight some of the tricks of the trade and what you should be looking out for.