Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations affect almost all businesses. You need to make sure that you understand your obligations and what you must do to meet them.

You must comply with the WEEE Regulations if you:

• manufacture, import or rebrand electrical or electronic equipment (EEE)
• distribute or sell EEE
• generate any WEEE
• refurbish or repair WEEE
• treat, recycle or recover WEEE

Producing EEE

You are a producer if you:

• manufacture and sell EEE under your own brand
• resell EEE products produced by another supplier under your own brand (rebranding)
• import or export EEE into the United Kingdom or another European Union member state on a professional basis

The regulations apply to all producers regardless of their size.

Distributing EEE

You are a distributor if you sell EEE for use in households. This includes selling products via:

• retail outlets
• wholesale outlets
• mail order
• the internet
• TV shopping channels
• other distance-selling methods

Using EEE

If your business uses EEE you must deal with it correctly once you no longer need it.

Refurbishing WEEE

If your business repairs or refurbishes WEEE you may need a pollution prevention and control (PPC) permit, waste management licence or an exemption.

Treating and recycling WEEE

If your business treats, reprocesses, recovers or recycles WEEE you must have a PPC permit, waste management licence or an exemption.

Exporting WEEE

If you export WEEE for reuse, treatment or reprocessing you must comply with export controls.

Operating a producer compliance scheme (PCS)

PCS operators arrange for their members' WEEE to be collected and treated, recycled or reused. If you operate a PCS you must meet certain requirements.