UK: WEEE retailer and distributor responsibilities

January 25, 2022

If you are selling products directly, via the internet, mail order or telephone. The WEEE regulations apply regardless.

Over and above their obligations as producers, companies selling electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) to private end customers in the UK must provide a way for your customers to dispose of their old household electrical and electronic equipment when you sell them a new version of the same item.

Distributors have to offer their end customers a free-of-charge option for the return of WEEE. The UK authorities have recently informed the industry that certain groups of distributors have the option to participate in the Distributor Take-Back Scheme (DTS) for the period 2022 to 2023, as was the case in previous years.

To use the DTS scheme retail distributors should have a turnover below £100,000 ($134,583/ €119,350) of EEE sales or only sell online.

If you more than £100,000 ($134,583/ €119,350) of EEE each year and have retail stores you can not participate in the DTS and will need to create your own take-back scheme.

You must provide free written information to your customers about which take back service you provide, including collect on delivery. How they can reuse and recycle electrical and electronic equipment and why WEEE waste needs to be separated from other waste. As well as the damaging effects of not recycling electrical and electronic equipment and the meaning of the crossed-out wheelie bin symbol.

Online retailers must publish this information on your website.

Members of the DTS pay a fee that covers the companies waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) obligations until 31 December 2023. The cost will depend on the size of your business, if you only sell online, and how much EEE you sell. The money raised from the DTS goes towards supporting the recycling centres run by local authorities.

Distributors will need to keep a record of what information is provided for customers about where they should take their WEEE.