Electronics industry group REPIC is piloting the new “low cost” service in three urban areas – London and the South East, Manchester and the North Midlands and Central Scotland.
” Today's consumer is more likely to include environmental factors in their purchasing decisions “
– Dr Phil Morton, REPIC
The service will include collection from stores and transportation to licensed treatment facilities.
REPIC – the Recycling of Electronic Products Industry Consortium – hopes ultimately to expand the service nationwide ready for the new WEEE regulations expected to come into force next year (see letsrecycle.com story).
Providers
From this week, retailers in the three pilot regions are being asked to contact their nearest service provider to join the scheme.
In London and the South East, the service will be run by Basildon-based Technowaste. In Manchester and the North Midlands, take-back will be provided by M Baker Recycling, which has a plant in St Helens.
In Central Scotland, retailers are asked to contact the service provider Shore Recycling, which is based in Perth.
Dr Phil Morton, chief executive of REPIC, said: “By participating in this scheme, retailers will be able to help their customers do something really positive for the environment.
“Today's consumer is more likely to include environmental factors in their purchasing decisions. They want to be reassured that the impact on the environment of the goods they are buying is being managed and minimised,” Dr Morton said.
Documentation
Retailers joining the scheme will have the relevant traceability documentation provided for the appropriate authorities to show compliance with the hazardous waste regulations where needed, REPIC said.
The organisation told letsrecycle.com that its take-back scheme came as a response to requests from retailers for assistance in this area.
Under the forthcoming WEEE regulations – which will bring into force Europe's WEEE Directive – retailers selling electrical equipment are to be made responsible for providing free take-back services for customers buying new equipment.
As an alternative, they will be able to join a compliance scheme or “distributors deposit scheme” to invest in collection facilities on their behalf.
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