Trystan Casey
Electrical waste is the fastest-growing waste stream in the UK, with 170 million new electrical items purchased in the UK each year and over 75% ending up in landfill. This waste often contains valuable materials, such as metals and plastics, that can be recycled and reused. However, it also contains harmful substances like lead and mercury, which must be handled properly to avoid environmental damage. To ensure safe disposal, electrical waste should be recycled at specialist centres or via electrical retailers, who are governed by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive. This legislation outlines the household electrical equipment that can be recycled and requires retailers to provide a way for customers to dispose of their old electrical items when they purchase a new version of the same item.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What to do with working electrical equipment | Sell it, gift it or donate it |
| What to do with personal data on devices | Remove all personal information from the device |
| What not to put in the recycling bin | Electric wires or cords |
| What not to put in general waste | Batteries |
| What to do with rechargeable batteries or appliances containing them | Take them to your local recycling centre or check your local authority website |
| What to do with unbroken energy-saving light bulbs | Recycle them at recycling centres |
| What to do with household batteries | Leave them in a clear bag on top of your normal bins or take them to a store with a battery take-back scheme |
| What to do with fridges and freezers | Safely remove the coolant and, if manufactured before 1994, the CFCs |
| What to do with ammonia in fridges and freezers | Extract it and transfer it to a suitable container |
| What to do with capacitors containing PCBs | Check if the appliance is more than 20 years old; if not, it's unlikely to contain PCBs |
| What to do with mercury-containing components | Handle them properly to avoid environmental damage |
| What to do with appliances that might contain RCFs | Examine them to determine if they contain RCFs and put appropriate controls in place before removing them |
| What to do with components containing radioactive substances | Put appropriate controls in place before removing them |
| What to do with electrical equipment | Recycle it with a company that follows ethical and legal directives |
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What You'll Learn
Recycling electrical equipment
Recycling is the safest and most environmentally responsible way to dispose of electrical items. Electrical and electronic equipment is made up of a wide variety of materials, many of which can be reused. By recycling your old and unwanted electrical items, you can help prevent potentially hazardous waste from entering landfills and causing soil and water contamination.
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, introduced in 2007, governs how manufacturers and retailers in European countries should behave regarding recycling. Under the terms of the WEEE directive, all retailers must provide a way for customers to dispose of their old household electrical and electronic equipment when they sell them a new version of the same item, either through a collection service or a store take-back scheme. Some councils also offer a household recycling collection service for small electrical items.
If you have rechargeable batteries or cordless appliances that contain rechargeable batteries, take them to your local recycling centre or check your local authority website. Many have schemes to collect batteries and appliances fitted with batteries separately from normal recycling.
If your electrical item is in working order but you still want to discard it, consider selling it, gifting it, or donating it to a charitable organisation. If you are sending mobile phones, iPads, or laptops for recycling, you must remove all your personal information from the device to avoid data compromise.
When recycling electrical equipment, avoid putting electric wires or cords in your recycling bin as they can tangle and snag the equipment of e-waste recycling companies.
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How to recycle batteries
Recycling is the safest and most environmentally responsible way to dispose of electrical items, especially those that are faulty or beyond repair. Electrical and electronic equipment is made up of a wide variety of materials, many of which can be reused. By recycling, you can help prevent potentially hazardous waste from entering landfills and causing soil and water contamination.
Types of Batteries
There are two main types of batteries: single-use and rechargeable. Single-use batteries, such as alkaline AA, AAA, 9-volt, and D cells, are commonly found in alarm clocks, remotes, flashlights, and smoke detectors. Once they have served their purpose, they must be replaced. Rechargeable batteries, on the other hand, can be charged and used multiple times. These include lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, nickel-zinc, and small sealed lead batteries. They are used in cordless phones, smartphones, digital cameras, and power tools.
Battery Disposal
It is important to never dispose of batteries in general waste or normal recycling bins. The reactive chemicals and metals within batteries can be harmful to the environment and pose risks to workers if not handled properly. Always check with your local authority or recycling centre for instructions on how to recycle batteries. Some may require you to place batteries in a clear plastic bag tied to your recycling bin for collection.
Battery Recycling
Rechargeable batteries can often be recycled at local recycling centres or through your local authority's collection schemes. Many battery manufacturers and recycling facilities also offer mail-in programs for battery recycling, although postal shipping precautions must be followed. Call2Recycle, for example, offers mail-in battery recycling kits and accepts rechargeable batteries weighing up to 11 pounds and measuring under 300 watt hours.
Additionally, since February 2010, shops selling large quantities of batteries (over 32kg per year) are required to provide battery recycling collection facilities in-store.
Battery Alternatives
To reduce battery waste, consider using rechargeable batteries whenever possible or plugging electrical equipment directly into mains electricity. Opt for appliances that utilize renewable energy, such as wind-up radios or torches, dynamo bicycle lights, or solar-powered garden lights.
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Preparing electricals for recycling
Firstly, check if your item is in working condition and could be of use to someone else. If so, consider selling it, gifting it, or donating it to a charitable organisation. This is a great way to extend the life of the product and prevent it from becoming waste.
If the item is faulty or beyond repair, then recycling is the best option. Before taking any electrical item for recycling, it is important to remove all personal information from the device. This is especially important for items such as mobile phones, iPads, laptops, and computers, which may contain sensitive data.
For items containing batteries, check with your local authority for guidance. Many have separate collection schemes for batteries and appliances containing batteries. Do not dispose of batteries in general waste or normal recycling bins, as this can have serious consequences. Rechargeable batteries and cordless appliances with rechargeable batteries should be taken to your local recycling centre.
For larger items, such as fridges and freezers, check if your local council offers a household recycling collection service. These items often contain fluids, which must be safely removed prior to crushing or shredding operations. Older appliances may also contain harmful substances like CFCs, so it is important to check the manufacture date.
Lastly, for items with electric wires or cords, do not place them in your recycling bin. These can tangle and snag recycling equipment. Instead, take them to a recycling centre or electrical retailer, who should provide a way for customers to dispose of old electrical items when purchasing a new version of the same item.
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WEEE directive
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive, or WEEE Directive, is a European Community Directive concerned with waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). It was first introduced in 2007 and became European Law in February 2003.
The WEEE Directive sets collection, recycling, and recovery targets for all types of electrical goods. It imposes the responsibility for the disposal of WEEE on the manufacturers or distributors of such equipment. This means that companies must establish an infrastructure for collecting WEEE, with users having the possibility of returning WEEE free of charge. The directive also outlines the requirements for the removal of certain substances and components, such as fluids from appliances like fridges and freezers, to avoid health and safety risks and damage to equipment.
The symbol adopted to represent WEEE consists of a crossed-out wheelie bin with or without a single black line underneath. The black line indicates that goods were placed on the market after 2005, when the directive came into force. Goods without the line, manufactured between 2002 and 2005, are treated as "historic WEEE" and fall outside reimbursement via producer compliance schemes.
The WEEE Directive has undergone several revisions since its inception in 2002, with the legislation being amended in 2011 due to its failure to achieve some of its goals. It has also been evaluated to determine if it remains fit for purpose and if a review is necessary.
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Reusing electrical equipment
Recycling is the safest and most environmentally responsible way to dispose of electrical items. However, there are several ways to reuse electrical equipment before considering recycling.
Firstly, if your electrical item is in working order, you can sell it and earn money. You can also gift it to someone else or donate it to charitable organisations. If you want to recycle your electrical item, it is best to send it to an IT recycling company, especially if it contains personal information. You must remove all personal information from the device to protect your data.
If you are considering reusing electrical equipment, it is important to check local guidelines. For example, in the UK, the National Electrical Code (NEC) outlines rules for the reconditioning of electrical equipment. The NEC requires that reconditioned equipment is marked with the name or trademark of the organisation responsible for reconditioning, along with the date of reconditioning. The equipment must comply with the requirements for new materials and be approved by the building official.
The NEC also specifies which electrical products can and cannot be reconditioned. For instance, switchboards and low-voltage power circuit breakers can be reconditioned, whereas moulded-case circuit breakers cannot. It is important to refer to the manufacturer's listing to determine if equipment can be reconditioned.
By reusing electrical equipment, you can reduce costs, increase uptime, and avoid costly outages required to replace equipment.
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Frequently asked questions
WEEE stands for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. It includes all electrical and electronic equipment, such as household electricals, computers, mobile phones, televisions, and other entertainment-related equipment.
Electrical equipment should be recycled and not sent to landfill. You can recycle your electrical equipment at recycling centres, electrical item banks, or via electrical retailers. Some local authorities also offer a household recycling collection service for small electrical items.
If your electrical equipment is in working order, consider selling it, gifting it, or donating it to a charitable organisation. If your equipment contains personal information, such as a mobile phone, iPad, or laptop, ensure that you remove all your data from the device.
Do not dispose of batteries in general waste or normal recycling. Take them to your local recycling centre or check your local authority website for schemes to collect batteries separately from normal recycling.
