The Haz Guide

The Hazardous Waste Regulations (and business waste)

Key issues for businesses - Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment

There are ten categories of WEEE, within the regulations, highlighted below:

1) large household appliances - e.g. fridges, cookers, microwaves, washing machines and dishwashers	6) electrical and electronic tools – eg drills, saws and sewing machines, electric lawnmowers
2) small household appliances – e.g. vacuum cleaners, irons, toasters and clocks	7) toys, leisure and sports equipment – e.g. electric trains, games consoles and running machines
3) IT and telecommunications equipment – e.g. personnel computers, copying equipment, telephones and pocket calculators	8) medical devices – e.g. (non infected) dialysis machines, analysers, medical freezers and cardiology equipment
4) consumer equipment – e.g. radios, televisions, hi-fi equipment, camcorders and musical instruments	9) monitoring and control equipment – e.g. smoke detectors, thermostats and heating regulators
5) lighting equipment – e.g. straight and compact fluorescent tubes and high intensity discharge lamps	10) automatic dispensers – e.g. hot drinks dispensers and money dispensers

For the following categories there are extra treatment requirements so treatment facilities have to record these items separately:

category 1a: cooling appliances containing refrigerants
category 3/4a: display equipment (computer monitors and televisions)
category 5a: gas discharge lamps

A full copy of the regulations can be found here and up to date guidance from BERR can be found here. The BERR guidance includes advice on how to decide whether a product falls within the scope of WEEE or not.
The WEEE Regulations apply to almost all businesses and will affect a business if they:

manufacture electrical and electronic equipment (EEE)
import EEE
re-brand EEE
distribute EEE
sell or supply EEE
collection, treat, dismantle, recycling, repair or refurbish WEEE
use WEEE.

There are some exemptions, which include:

equipment that does not use electricity through battery or mains supply to fulfill its main function
equipment that is part of another type of equipment that is not covered by the WEEE Regulations. However, other waste regulations may apply to them, for example the End-of-Life Vehicle Regulations cover the electrical components of vehicles
equipment designed to protect the UK’s national security
filament light bulbs
household light fittings of any kind
large industrial tools, permanently fixed in industrial machinery or an industrial location
high-voltage equipment that is designed to work on exceeding 1,000 volts AC or 1,500 volts DC
contaminated medical implants and medical equipment
spare parts that are used to repair EEE
consumables such as printer cartridges are also exempt.

Dismantling of WEEE should be carried out by authorised treatment facilities only and they are obliged to meet the requirements of Annex II of the Directive. Any dismantling of WEEE should be risk assessed and adequate safeguards be taken to prevent risk.

These items may liberate toxic dusts or fumes whenever crushed or abraded, or subjected to heat. The wide range of materials used in electrical equipment prevent specific guidance being given, but the possible inhalation, ingestion and skin absorption of materials (including PCBs, lead, sodium, mercury, phosphorous etc.) should be considered.

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Download the Haz Guide

i	Related links

Regulations found - here

BERR -guidance