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Home Page > UK Enforcement & Research > WEEE Enforcement

WASTE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT DIRECTIVE (WEEE)

Helpline: 0300 330 5799

From the 1st July 2007, VCA became responsible for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) legislation. The role is to ensure that retailers and distributors of electrical equipment play their part in helping UK household users to dispose of electrical / electronic items when they reach the end of their life.

VCA has extensive experience of enforcing legislative compliance and a regional network of qualified Enforcement Officers are on hand to ensure that standards are met.

BIS have launched a public consultation on WEEE. It is a key part of the process to introduce the revised WEEE Regulations that are expected to come into force from 1 January 2014. This consultation is relevant to:

*producers
*retailers
*distance sellers
*distributors
*local authorities
*waste management companies and treatment operators

*re-use organisations

You can respond to the consultation on the Gov UK website here (page opens in a new window). The closing date for responses is 21st June 2013.

As a retailer/distributor, you have two ways in which you can become compliant with the WEEE Regulations.

You can either take:

Option A: Offer customers free 'take back' on their waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). This is done on a like-for-like basis. Therefore, if a customer purchases for example a new television from you they can only return an old television back to you. The customer has 28 days in which to return the old item to you. If the item was purchased online, the customer is responsible for any postage costs incurred returning it to you. You can charge a reasonable fee for collection. You will also be required to record the amount of WEEE returned to you in accordance with Regulation 34. Join the Distributor Take Back Scheme (DTS) which is currently run by a company called Valpak. By joining this scheme you are supporting a network of primarily local authority collection points where households can return their waste electricals. See Option A templates below for further information.

Option B: If you are a DTS member you do not have to take back any waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Valpak will supply you with all the information needed to put in your store(s) and on your website(s), directing customers to their nearest recycling facility. It will also include environmental information and the benefits of recycling. Please contact Valpak on 08450 682 572 to enquire about joining the Distributor Take Back Scheme (DTS). See Option B below for further information.

Please click on the below link for a more detailed explanation on how to comply with your distributor responsibilities:

WEEE Regulations Guidance for Distributors (PDF 414KB)

Regulation 33 (Information) - Distributors shall make information available in writing.

Whether retailers/distributors are members of the DTS or provide in store take back, both also are required to provide information in writing to householders on how they can dispose of WEEE and the environmental benefits of doing so, to ensure compliance with Regulation 33 (information). Please see the below links to download the relevant templates.

Option A: ‘Free Take Back’ option posters:

WEEE Retailer Toolkit poster (PDF 292.9KB) OR plain text 'take-back' poster (PDF 71.9KB) OR WEEE Website take back information (DOC 34KB)

Regulation 34 (Record Keeping) – Distributors shall maintain records of the number of units of WEEE returned.

Please click on the link below to see an example of record keeping which will meet Regulation 34 requirements:

WEEE Regulation 34 Record Keeping Document (PDF 493.6KB)

Option B: DTS Members:

For DTS members visit www.valpak.co.uk/dts/ to obtain your WEEE information templates.

Free Retailers WEEE Toolkit - Meet your legal obligations and enhance business reputation.

Developed by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), co-funded with the Department of Business Innovation and Skills, and endorsed by BIS and the VCA; helps retailers to comply with the information requirements placed on them under Regulation 33 of the WEEE Regulations.

Click on the Recyclenow Partners link WEEE Retailer Toolkit. Click on the link entitled Download Area, then register as a user for free and you will have access to all of the information and resources available under the WEEE Retailer Toolkit link.