Recycling and WEEE

Recycling and The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations

What is WEEE?

With effect from July 2007, the UK's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations requires all producers and retailers of electrical equipment to pay for recycling of household electrical / electronic goods.

Previously this cost was met by local councils, or items were not recycled at all. These regulations also require that all retailers both actively assist in delivering a UK-wide WEEE collection infrastructure and encourage the participation of consumers in recycling Waste Electronic and Electronic Equipment as much as possible.

Any product that requires electricity or batteries to enable it to perform its primary function would be classed as Electrical or Electronic Equipment (EEE); everyday examples would be a quartz battery watch or alarm clock (but not mechanical hand-wound watches for example).

Each year in the UK we go throw away over 1.2 million tonnes of electrical and electronic goods and over 75% of waste electrical goods end up in landfill, where lead and other toxins contained in the electrical goods can cause soil and water contamination.

Many of the electrical items that we currently throw away can be repaired or recycled. Recycling items helps to save natural finite resources and also reduces the environmental and health risks associated with sending waste electrical goods to landfill.

What is the crossed out wheelie bin WEEE Symbol?

Products which are classed as EEE and are covered by the regulations must display a crossed out wheeled bin symbol on the product; or if this is not possible the symbol must be displayed on the packaging, the instruction or warranty leaflet.

Products displaying a black bar beneath the wheeled bin denote EEE placed upon the market after the 13th August 2005; products without the black bar are placed on the market prior to the 13th August 2005.

This symbol allows you to identify WEEE products and dispose of them separately from other household waste when it reaches the end of its useful life.

What will Precision Time do about WEEE?

Precision Time Ltd is a retailer of business to consumer (B2C) Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE). As a responsible company Precision Time Ltd is committed to providing high quality products and services to our customers and reducing our environmental impact by recycling our products in an environmentally sound manner when they become Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE).

Precision Time Ltd will provide a Free of Charge ‘take back’ service to our customers for your old WEEE products on a like for like basis when you purchase a new item of EEE from us.

This offer only applies to new EEE that is purchased directly from our internet store.

For each item of new EEE you purchase from us we will enclose a self-addressed Freepost returns label for you to return your unwanted WEEE to us.

The WEEE product will then be re-used, recycled or recovered in an environmentally sound manner.

For further information regarding the WEEE Regulations please visit:

• The Waste Electrical And Electronic Equipment Directive
• Enviroment and Heritage Service
• Environment Agency
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Where can I learn more about recycling?

Find out how to minimise your effect on the environment by visiting www.recycle-more.co.uk

You will also find advice and tips on how to recycle waste electrical goods and other household items, making it quick and easy for everyone to recycle-more!

Where can I recycle my unwanted electrical goods myself?

Locate your nearest recycling facilities for electrical waste with the recycle-more.co.uk bank locator, which includes an easy to use interactive mapping system.

So to find out your nearest participating site (including other collection facilities that may not be operated by your local council) visit Recycle-more's ‘Bank Locator’ and enter your postcode.