The use of electronic devices is an integral part of our everyday lives. However, technology is rapidly progressing and that means electronics that were once popular and ahead of the game are being replaced by the next best thing.
Whenever you decide to upgrade your electronics, you are responsible for the proper and sustainable disposal of your old devices. In this article, we will share how you can comply with WEEE regulations.
The Importance of Compliant E-Waste Disposal
According to The World Economic Forum, 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste is produced yearly worldwide and 83% of it is not being collected, let alone recycled.
Recycling your e-waste correctly is important for many reasons; it protects your data, it protects the environment, and it means your efforts to recycle sustainably pay off. A few other reasons why proper e-waste recycling is so important include:
- It protects human health
- It reduces the risk of contamination to wildlife
- It protects the environment
- It saves resources and energy
- It allows us to reuse materials for other things
Choose a Reputable E-Waste Recycling Company
To ensure e-waste compliance, you should partner with a reputable e-waste recycling company. Here at Priority WEEE, we provide a flexible approach to mixed WEEE recycling, offering everything from basic collections to bespoke solutions tailor-made to suit your requirements.
We ensure all your recycling efforts are inline with government guidelines while remaining cost effective. So, whether you’re new to electronic recycling or you’re looking to improve your process, we’re here to help.
Compliant E-Waste Disposal in 4 Steps
Whether you’re a school, a business, or a product manufacturer (to name a few), you have a legal responsibility to manage and dispose of your electronic waste correctly. Here are the steps you need to follow to ensure that your waste disposal efforts are fully compliant.
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Consider Recycling in Product Manufacturing
If you are a product manufacturer, you are required to consider your product’s end-of-life cycle and where your old electronics might end up. For example, you might manufacture products that can be returned to your business for reusing. Or you could provide a place for consumers to dispose of their electronic waste. Both of these efforts will support a circular economy and ensure fewer items end up in landfills.
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Join a Compliance Scheme
You should also join a compliance scheme. This means you are committed to sustainable electronic recycling and, as such, are required to mark all new products with the well-known WEEE symbol (the famous crossed-out wheelie bin).
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Provide Recycling Information
Correct and compliant e-waste recycling means educating others on their role in the process. You must provide information on all of the appropriate treatment facilities. Your customers should know how and where to dispose of your electronics once they are finished with them. You should provide written information for your customers covering the following:
- Tips for reusing and recycling old electronics
- The importance of recycling e-waste
- Which take-back service you provide, as well as information on drop-offs or pick-ups
- The damaging effects of refusing to recycle e-waste
- What the WEEE symbol means
Educating your customers and providing them with opportunities to recycle correctly is essential for furthering the UK’s e-waste disposal efforts.
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Provide a Take-back Service
You should provide a take-back service so that your customers can return their old or unwanted electronics to your company at no cost to themselves. You can either offer the take-back service in store or you can set up an alternative service elsewhere.
If you do not have a take-back service, government regulations require that you join the Distributor Take Back Scheme.
Do What You Can
As you can see, businesses are responsible for the e-waste they produce. You must dispose of all your e-waste in a compliant manner and encourage your customers to do the same. We hope the information we’ve provided in this article has been helpful to you. If you would like more advice on recycling, check out our blog.