Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Policy

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment is one of the fastest growing waste streams in Europe, and in the UK alone, we reportedly threw away around 2 million tonnes of WEEE every year, much of which ended up in landfill.

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive) was introduced into UK law in January 2007 by the Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment Regulations 2006.

The WEEE Directive aims to reduce the amount of electrical and electronic equipment being produced and to encourage everyone to reuse, recycle and recover it.

The WEEE Directive also aims to improve the environmental performance of businesses that manufacture, supply, use, recycle and recover electrical and electronic equipment.

There may be obligations under the WEEE Regulations for a business with electrical or electronic equipment to dispose of. When businesses produce waste, they have a range of responsibilities. These include complying with the requirements of the duty of care.

The regulations aim to ensure that more WEEE is separately collected for treatment and recovery, and less goes to landfill.

The regulations apply to companies, such as The Big Blue Box who uses, or disposes of WEEE.

They affect the way WEEE is disposed of by setting treatment standards and recycling targets and, importantly, by making producers, rather than end-users, pay for its treatment and recycling in most cases.

Our Responsibility for our WEEE

If we bought equipment before 13 August 2005, and were replacing it with new equipment fulfilling the same function, then the producer of the new equipment would be responsible for the collection, treatment and recycling of the old equipment, regardless of whether they were the original manufacturer.

If we bought the equipment before 13 August 2005 and do not replace it, then we are responsible for financing and arranging treatment in accordance with the WEEE Regulations and existing waste management legislation, including the Duty of Care and the Hazardous Waste Regulations.

If we bought electrical equipment after 13 August 2005, then the producer of that equipment would be responsible for its collection, treatment and recycling when we dispose of it.

If we leased or rented equipment, the producer would usually responsible for its disposal.

Communication

This WEEE policy is available on request.

If you wish to obtain a copy or would like to discuss our progress against our objectives, please telephone: 01932 843933.

This policy is also available on our website at www.thebigbluebox.co.uk.

Signed: C P Dyson

Director

December 2010