| The WEEE (Waste Electrical Electronic Equipment) | | | | the UK or imports electrical equipment into the UK. It |
| directive came into effect on July 1st 2007. | | | | is basically the first point of contact for electrical |
| Introduced as an effort to stem the flow of the | | | | equipment in the UK. |
| burgeoning amount of electrical waste piling up in | | | | - Manufactures have to join a "WEEE Compliance |
| landfill, the directive outlines significant implications for | | | | Scheme" thus ensuring all waste put into the UK |
| what should be standard procedure in the disposal of | | | | market is accounted for, right up to the end of its |
| electronic items used commercially and personally. | | | | life. Compliance schemes have been established to |
| While showcasing a number of different aspects, it | | | | look after the obligations of the producers. Having to |
| carries different implications and responsibilities for | | | | report directly to the Environmental Agency, these |
| manufacturers, distributors and consumers of | | | | Compliance Schemes collect and recycle waste on |
| electronic goods. Summarised below are three | | | | behalf of the manufacturer and producer. |
| sections outlining the things you need to know in | | | | Distributors / Retailers |
| order to be in compliance with the WEEE Directive. | | | | - Retailers of electrical products also responsible for |
| Consumers/End Users | | | | the recycling of any electronic waste the sell into the |
| - Increased measures implemented by local | | | | UK market. They can provide in-store take-back |
| governments and councils ensure that businesses and | | | | schemes which allow consumers to return their |
| non-residential users are disposing of electronic | | | | equipment to the store for recycling, or join a |
| equipment in legal and environmentally safe methods. | | | | Distributor Take Back Scheme, which allows |
| They are also now asking that they provide proof of | | | | household users to send the equipment back to the |
| these disposal methods with certified companies. | | | | distributor for proper disposal. |
| - Professional electrical waste disposal solutions are | | | | - Any business wishing to dispose of their electrical |
| essential for the WEEE directive. If your waste is | | | | waste cannot return the equipment to the retailer |
| found to be to have been improperly disposed of, | | | | they purchased from, or any retailer for that matter. |
| you may incur a fine or even prosecution. | | | | They must approach a certified disposal company |
| - Household users cannot simply dispose of electronic | | | | which ensures the proper disposal of the electronic |
| equipment by putting it in the trash bin either. | | | | waste. |
| However, the responsibility falls in part on the | | | | Understandably, all businesses would like to follow the |
| retailers and distributors to offer recycling means for | | | | WEEE directive and meet their environmental |
| the consumer. | | | | obligations with as little hassle as possible. echo Ltd. |
| Manufactures / Producers | | | | offers certified disposal services that are WEEE |
| - Manufacturers and producers of electrical products | | | | compliant and traceable. |
| are now fully responsible for what happens to the | | | | Echo's services are secure and guaranteed, providing |
| electronic goods they sell when those goods cease | | | | certification and verification of disposal for legal |
| functioning. | | | | purposes in compliance with the WEEE Directive, as |
| - By definition, a "manufacturer" or "producer" is a | | | | well as complete reverse logistics, redeployment and |
| company who either makes electrical equipment in | | | | packaging disposal. |