Waste electrical and electronic equipment

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is the fastest growing type of waste in the UK. You must handle and store it correctly and ensure that it is disposed of at an authorised facility.

If you manufacture or import electronic equipment you have extra responsibilities.

What you must do

Your business must store, collect, treat, recycle and dispose of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) separately from other waste.

You must get and keep proof that you gave your WEEE to a waste management company and that they treated and disposed of it without harming the environment.

You may be able to use a free take back scheme for WEEE funded by the equipment manufacturer.

Common types of WEEE include:

• computers and other office equipment
• fluorescent light tubes
• fridges
• washing machines
• TVs
• vending machines.

If your business produces, distributes or sells electrical or electronic equipment you may have to comply with additional requirements under the WEEE Regulations.

For more information see our guidance on WEEE in:

England on Business Link: Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
Northern Ireland on NIBusinessInfo: Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
Scotland on Business Gateway: Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
Wales on Business.Wales.gov.uk: Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

If your business manufactures, recycles, imports, exports or rebrands electrical or electronic equipment you must limit the amount of certain hazardous substances in new equipment. For more information see our RoHS guidance in:

England on Business Link: Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS)
Northern Ireland on NIBusinessInfo: Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS)
Scotland on Business Gateway: Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS)
Wales on Business.Wales.gov.uk: Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS)

You must comply with your duty of care responsibilities when dealing with WEEE.

See our guidance on duty of care in:

England on Business Link: Duty of care - your responsibilities
Northern Ireland on NIBusinessInfo: Duty of care - your responsibilities
Scotland on Business Gateway: Duty of care - your responsibilities
Wales on Business.Wales.gov.uk: Duty of care - your responsibilities

If your WEEE contains hazardous substances, you may need to treat it as hazardous/special waste. Examples include fluorescent light tubes and televisions that contain cathode ray tubes.

See our guidance on hazardous/special waste in:

England on Business Link: Managing your hazardous waste
Northern Ireland on NIBusinessInfo: Managing your hazardous waste
Scotland on Business Gateway: Managing your hazardous waste
Wales on Business.Wales.gov.uk: Managing your hazardous waste

Good practice

You can reduce your waste management costs and help the environment by reusing or recycling your electrical and electronic equipment wherever possible.

See our guidance on reusing and recycling your waste in:

England on Business Link: Reduce, reuse and recycle your business waste
Northern Ireland on NIBusinessInfo: Reduce, reuse and recycle your business waste
Scotland on Business Gateway: Reduce, reuse and recycle your business waste
Wales on Business.Wales.gov.uk: Reduce, reuse and recycle your business waste