WEEE Takeback Requirements

What is WEEE?

WEEE Regulations state: “A distributor who supplies new EEE to a person will ensure that WEEE from private households can be returned to them free of charge and on a one-to-one basis by that person”

Since the regulations have existed retailers have had to either implement systems to allow the above or they have had an alternative option to join the Distributor Takeback Scheme (DTS). By joining the DTS, retailers do not have to receive takeback in-store and instead pay into a scheme, which funds local authority and research projects to increase WEEE recycling rates in the UK. By being members of the DTS, retailers could, therefore, direct consumers to their local authority amenity site.

What Is changing?

If your business is in the DTS, has more than £100,000 in electrical product sales per year and has at least one physical store or showroom, you will be required to offer in-store takeback of old electronic goods when selling new ones from January 1, 2021.

If your business is online only or in band C of the DTS (electrical item sales of 0-£100,000 per annum) then you have an additional 12 months before you need to implement the takeback systems. Any EEE-selling retailer not part of the DTS currently, should already be providing takeback for consumers.

What do retailers need to do?

The regulations have several requirements that retailers will need to implement by January 1st, 2021. Some of the key points are listed below.

1. Provide the Takeback system

Retailers with physical stores need to ensure they offer a free like-for-like in-store takeback when a consumer purchases a new item from
them. It is deemed a fair request for retailers to require on proof or purchase when waste electricals are being handed over as the consumer
does not have to hand over the waste at the point of sale.
The like-for-like takeback is in terms of the item's function. An example is a consumer who could go and purchase a DVD player but hand in an
old VHS player. The retailer offering the takeback service must accept any like-for-like waste regardless of whether the original item was purchased

from them or if it is a different brand to what they are now buying.

2. Provide Information to Consumers

The regulations spell out exactly what information should be provided to the consumer, but a couple of the key things are making clear what takeback systems are available to them, clarifying their role in contributing to the reuse, recycling and other forms of recovery set out by the regulations; the potential effects on the environment and human health as a result of the presence of hazardous substances in EEE; describing the meaning of the crossed out wheelie bin symbol and the requirement on the UK to minimise the disposal of WEEE as unsorted municipal waste and ensure a high level of collection for WEEE for treatment.

3. Record Keeping

Retailers need to keep a record of the number of units which are returned under this regulation, and store that information for a minimum of four years. You do not need to record anything other than the unit count to comply with the requirements under this regulation, however you will also need to ensure all of the usual duty of care regulations are followed when sending the waste for treatment.

Anything else?

If your business has a retail premise with dedicated electronic sales space of 400m2 or more, you are required to offer free in-store takeback for any ‘very small WEEE’ (WEEE that is less than 25cm on their longest side) regardless of whether a consumer purchases from you or not. We can give further assistance to businesses effected by this clause if it’s relevant, we anticipate this will not affect a huge number of retailers.

Retailers also need to be careful about how long they store takeback material on-site. We anticipate most will be storing the waste under the Non-Waste Framework Directive NWFD4. This allows retailers to store up to 30 cubic meters of WEEE for three months before it will need to be collected.

Further support

As well as policy support, we are helping businesses find solutions for the waste management requirements of these changes, for more information on this please contact matt.luntley@valpak.co.uk or visit www.valpak.co.uk