WEEE & waste battery regulations
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive is now UK law. The legislation aims to make producers pay for the collection, treatment and recovery of waste electrical equipment. The regulations also mean that suppliers of equipment like high street shops and internet retailers must allow consumers to return their waste equipment free of charge.
The amount of WEEE thrown away is increasing by around 5% each year, making it the fastest growing waste stream in the UK.
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Much of the UK’s WEEE ends up in landfill, where the lead and other toxins it contains can cause soil and water contamination. This can have a harmful effect on natural habitat, wildlife and also human health.
- Many electrical items that are thrown away can be repaired or recycled. Recycling items helps to save our natural finite resources and also reduces the environmental and health risks associated with sending electrical goods to landfill.
Distributors of new Electric and Electronic Equipment (EEE) have a part to play in reducing the amount of WEEE going into landfill sites.
B.E.S Limited is obliged under these regulations to offer our consumers free take-back of their WEEE on a like-for-like basis when they buy a new electrical or electronic product from us.
For example, if a consumer bought a new power tool from us we would accept their old power tool back and prevent it going into a landfill site by disposing of it safely. Consumers must return their WEEE item to us within 28 days of purchasing their new item.
Under the WEEE Regulations, all new electrical goods should now be marked with the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol shown below:
Goods are marked with this symbol to show that they were produced after 13th August 2005, and should be disposed of separately from normal household waste so that they can be recycled.
Waste Batteries Regulations:
Under the Waste batteries Regulations BES Ltd offers a take back scheme for all portable waste batteries purchased from us. You can return your waste batteries to us at our collection point at our premises. (Please do not post)
Alternatively, you can find your local waste portable battery recycling facility by entering your post code on the website www.recylenow.co.uk
Most supermarkets and shops that sell batteries will have a collection bins for used batteries and some town halls, libraries, or schools may also have collection points. BES Ltd customers may find local facilities more accessible.
The aim is to recycle waste batteries and stop them ending up in landfills.