Businesses that take in unwanted household electrical goods are being offered somewhere to take the equipment to be recycled, under the UK's producer responsibility system.
The producer compliance scheme Valpak has launched a network of around 80 sites that retailers or service companies can take back unwanted household waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
This network will be open to any business that has household WEEE to dispose of, but that is unable to access local authority DCFs.
And, it includes repair companies who might take in appliances from households that would normally require disposal, reflecting Regulation 40A of the same producer responsibility legislation.
The new service is independent of both Valpak's obligations to run designated collection facilities (DCFs) for householders to take back their WEEE and Valpak's retailer WEEE scheme known as the Distributer Takeback Scheme.
It involves businesses who do not have access to DCFs or council recycling centres being able to take household WEEE to one of the 80 Valpak-aligned approved authorised treatment facilities (AATFs) around the UK, with Valpak's producer compliance scheme funding any recycling required.
The businesses dealing with unwanted household electrical goods can find their nearest site through Valpak's “recycle-more” website or contact the scheme through the helpline publicised on the website.
Steve Gough, chief executive of Stratford-based Valpak, said: “A lot of WEEE will be returned to retail stores by customers, or collected by retailers when they deliver new products. It is essential that this material is treated in line with the WEEE Directive, so we are aiming to make it easier for them to deposit the material free of charge for treatment.
“This network will be open to any business that has household WEEE to dispose of, but that is unable to access local authority DCFs.
“We are hoping to extend this network of sites even further and are keen to speak to any AATFs that are not current involved,” Mr Gough added.
Valpak has worked with home improvement retailer B&Q on the new service, which will now supply WEEE material via its own installation services.
Steven Taylor, B&Q contract manager, said: “Valpak's provision of this network will help small traders with electrical waste deliver material into the WEEE recycling system. We are proud to have helped in the creation of this network and intend to support it by supplying WEEE material from our Installations partners.”
Household
Valpak is stressing that the service is for electrical goods originally sold onto the household market – not business WEEE.
But, the service is not for householders themselves to take back equipment. They already have access to more than 1,500 designated collection facilities around the country for any electrical goods they need to recycle.
Julian Ross, Valpak's producer compliance project manager, explained that under the regulations, all WEEE producer compliance schemes have to offer some way for retailers or businesses to take back household WEEE.
However, rather than offer a single AATF site for this purpose, Valpak has decided to offer a more local service for companies, to reduce the transport needed for companies to recycle household WEEE.
As compliance schemes seek recycling evidence to meet their producer members' recycling obligations under the WEEE Regulations, Mr Ross said the new service could also be a valuable addition to Valpak's efforts in getting hold of WEEE recycling evidence.
For retailers, the service is open to companies whether they are part of the Distributors Takeback Scheme (DTS) or not. It could be especially useful for smaller retailers who do not have access to a nationwide logistics network. Those retailers who do not pay into the DTS to support collections, and therefore must offer customers a delivery or in-store takeback service for recycling appliances being replaced, can also take collected equipment to the Valpak network of AATFs.
Conditions
The scheme will only accept material taken to an AATF by a company holding a waste carrier's licence, while if any items that are hazardous – which includes items like Cathode Ray Tube televisions, fridges and fluorescent lamps – companies must ensure their premises are registered with the Environment Agency, and complete a hazardous waste consignment note for each load.
Register for free to comment