London Recycle
WEEE Recycling: Data Destruction is Essential
May 5, 2012 | 
Author Your organissations data may no longer be of value to you once you have done what you need to do with it, but it is valuable to your competitors. That is why any media, from paper to Flash memory cards, that contains business data must be thoroughly wiped before disposal.
The risks of disposal of disks containing data that you may believe has been wiped but has really just been lightly erased include putting yourself or your customers at risk for identity theft as well as making data available to unscrupulous individuals. Even recycling a computer to comply with WEEE recycling regulations does not include proper data destruction techniques.
These techniques include degaussing, in which magnetic patterns that conform to actual data are realigned so that the data is inaccessible and unrecoverable, shredding, which entails shredding media into very fine bits that cannot be reassembled, and software wiping, in which all HEX values on the entire volume of a disk are overwritten using special software. In the United kingdom, such software must meet Data protection Act standards to be considered effective for data destruction.
Laptops, including internal hard disk drives and other internal media storage devices, must be recycled according to WEEE regulations (EU). However, if data remains available on any part of the device before, during or after WEEE recycling procedures, it still poses a threat to your company security. Therefore, devices that hold data and are subject to WEEE recycling regulations must undergo a thorough process of data destruction before recycling should take place.
Hard drive destruction is absolutely imperative before WEEE recycling can start. This is because even when a disk drive is seemingly erased, the information on it can be recovered and made available without your knowledge. Ensuring that an expert with security cleared personnel destroys the hard drive by methods such as degaussing and shredding is the only way you can be sure that any data that was ever available on a drive that is slated for disposal can never be accessed again. Software wiping is recommended only for hard disk drives that will be reused after the data stored on them is fully destroyed.
Media tape drives are also easily accessible if they are not fully and professionally destroyed prior to disposal. Degaussing and shredding are the most recommended techniques for destruction of media tape drives.
Even CD’s and DVD’s which contain sensitive and confidential data should never be disposed of without making the data completely inaccessible. Complete physical destruction of the media through precision shredding that is offered by professional media disposal firms is the only way to ensure that data on a CD or DVD is fully inaccessible.
Flash memory cards, external memory sticks, and similar devices must also be subject to data destruction measures if they have ever held sensitive data. A specialist firm which handles data destruction should be consulted regarding such memory devices as their small size makes it very easy for them to end up in the wrong hands.
At Be Seen Go Green, we offer solutions for a variety of Environmental issues. Please click on the following link to contact us.
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Tags: Business, Change, computer recycling, Data, Destruction, edinburgh recycle, Edinburgh Recycling, Edinburgh WEEE, electrical waste recycling, Energy, Environment, ENVIRONMENTAL, glasgow eee, glasgow recycle, glasgow recycling, glasgow weee, recycle, Recycling, Reduce, Security, uk weee, Vital, Waste, waste management, weee | 
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Glasgow WEEE Recycling
What is WEEE?
The Waste Electrical or Electronic Equipment Directive requires countries to maximise separate collection and environmentally friendly processing of these items. In the UK, distributors (including retailers) must provide a system which allows all customers buying new electrical equipment the opportunity to recycle their old items free of charge. Those retailers must either join or set up their own take back scheme and must as a minimum offer all customers buying new electrical equipment free take back of their old electronics on a like-for-like basis.
Look for the “You can now recycle your old electricals with us” If you can’t see this take your business elsewhere.
There is so much talk these days about WEEE Recycling. But what is it exactly?
Why recycle?
End of life electronic equipment is the UKs fastest growing type of waste.
Many electrical items can be repaired or recycled, saving resources and the environment. If you do not recycle, Waste electrical& Electronic Equipment will end up in landfill where hazardous substances does leak out and cause soil and water contamination – harming wildlife and also human health.
To remind you that old electrical equipment can be recycled, it is now marked with a crossed-out wheeled bin symbol. Please do not throw any electronic equipment (including those marked with this symbol) in your bin
Types of WEEE
1. Large household appliances
Large cooling appliances, Refrigerators, Freezers, Other large appliances used for refrigeration, conservation and storage of food, Washing machines, Clothes dryers, Dish washing machines, Cooking, Electric stoves, Electric hot plates, Microwaves, Other large appliances used for cooking and other processing of food, Electric heating appliances, Electric radiators, Other large appliances for heating rooms, beds, seating furniture, Electric fans, Air conditioner appliances, Other fanning, exhaust ventilation and conditioning equipment
2. Small household appliances
Vacuum cleaners, Carpet sweepers, Other appliances for cleaning, Appliances used for sewing, knitting, weaving and other processing for textiles, Irons and other appliances for ironing, mangling and other care of clothing, Toasters, Fryers, Grinders, coffee machines and equipment for opening or sealing containers or packages, Electric knives, Appliances for hair-cutting, hair drying, tooth brushing, shaving, massage and other body care appliances, Clocks, watches and equipment for the purpose of measuring, indicating or registering time, Scales
3. IT and telecommunications equipment
Centralised data processing: Mainframes, Minicomputers, Printer units, Personal computing: Personal computers (CPU, mouse, screen and keyboard included), Laptop computers (CPU, mouse, screen and keyboard included), Notebook computers, Notepad computers, Printers, Copying equipment, Electrical and electronic typewriters, Pocket and desk calculators, Other products and equipment for the collection, storage, processing, presentation or communication of information by electronic means, User terminals and systems, Facsimile, Telex, Telephones, Pay telephones, Cordless telephones, Cellular telephones, Answering systems, Other products or equipment of transmitting sound, images or other information by telecommunications
4. Consumer equipment
Radio sets, Television sets, Video cameras, Video recorders, Hi-fi recorders, Audio amplifiers, Musical instruments, Other products or equipment for the purpose of recording or reproducing sound or images, including signals or other technologies for the distribution of sound and image than by telecommunications
5. Lighting equipment
Luminaries for fluorescent lamps with the exception of luminaires in households, Straight fluorescent lamps, Compact fluorescent lamps, High intensity discharge lamps, including pressure sodium lamps and metal halide lamps, Low pressure sodium lamps, Other lighting or equipment for the purpose of spreading or controlling light with the exception of filament bulbs
6. Electrical and electronic tools (with the exception of large-scale stationary industrial tools)
Drills, Saws, Sewing machines, Equipment for turning, milling, sanding, grinding, sawing, cutting, shearing, drilling, making holes, punching, folding, bending or similar processing of wood, metal and other materials, Tools for riveting, nailing or screwing or removing rivets, nails, screws or similar uses, Tools for welding, soldering or similar use, Equipment for spraying, spreading, dispersing or other treatment of liquid or gaseous substances by other means, Tools for mowing or other gardening activities
7. Toys, leisure and sports equipment
Electric trains or car racing sets, Hand-held video game consoles, Video games, Computers for biking, diving, running and rowing, Sports equipment with electric or electronic components, Coin slot machines,
8. Medical devices (with the exception of all implanted and infected products)
Radiotherapy equipment, Cardiology, Dialysis, Pulmonary ventilators, Nuclear medicine, Laboratory equipment for in-vitro diagnosis, Analysers, Freezers, Fertilization tests, Other appliances for detecting, preventing, monitoring, treating, alleviating illness, injury or disability
9. Monitoring and control instruments
Smoke detector, Heating regulators, Thermostats, Measuring, weighing or adjusting appliances for household or laboratory equipment, Other monitoring and control instruments used in industrial installations (for example, in control panels)
10. Automatic dispensers
Automatic dispensers for hot drinks, Automatic dispensers for hot or cold bottles or cans, Automatic dispensers for solid products, Automatic dispensers for money, All appliances which deliver automatically all kind of products.
At Be Seen Go Green, we offer solutions for a variety of Environmental issues. To find out more on WEEE Please click on the following link to contact us.
Posted in computer recycling, Edinburgh Recycle, Edinburgh WEEE, eee, glasgow eee, glasgow recycling, Glasgow waste, glasgow weee, Green IT, landfill, London Recycle, London WEEE, UK Recycle, UK WEEE, Waste management, weee, WEEE Edinburgh, WEEE London, WEEE UK, wheelie bin | Tags: Business, computer recycling, edinburgh recycle, Edinburgh Recycling, Edinburgh WEEE, electrical waste recycling, ENVIRONMENTAL, glasgow eee, glasgow recycle, glasgow recycling, glasgow weee, recycle glasgow, uk weee, Waste, weee, WEEE Glasgow | No Comments »
Waste Management| Made simple
Mention waste management to most folks and they either do not have a clue what you might be talking about, or they truly aren't interested! It just sounds a load of rubbish, what do you care what other folks do with stuff they do not want? Nevertheless, once you commence delving into what waste management is all about, then you realise there’s a entire cycle of events going on and it is quite an interesting topic to discover about.
Waste management is essentially how rubbish and trash is disposed of without causing any harm to other people or the environment. You will find several aspects to waste management; these consist of monitoring, collection, transportation, processing, and disposal or recycling. When carried out properly, waste management is efficient and very environmentally friendly, and in today’s world is something every single conscientious business need to take responsibility for.
You will find specialized environmental companies that supply guidance and services for waste collection, not only for householders, but also for industries and businesses. They're experienced in all areas of waste management solutions and will remove all of your waste efficiently and quickly, transporting it to be disposed of in the correct manner, or recycled.
Some of the waste services provided to industrial clients consist of waste collection, recycling and disposal, hazardous waste management, emergency response, laboratory services, asbestos removal and re-Insulation.
Within the initial instance the environment service is concerned with monitoring, this would be to identify the sort of waste produced and in what quantity; they can then evaluate the processes they must put into place to reduce the amount of waste produced. Records are kept to see if techniques put into place are working and, if not, strategies may be changed and re-examined to make their implementation much more efficient.
Once the waste has been monitored and assessed it really is time for the collection method. Skip bins and containers have to be emptied before they become too full and prevention of overspill or produce to rot is really essential. Depending on the amount of waste produced will dictate the size and number of containers required, and how frequently collections will likely be needed. You will find diverse containers for every sort of waste, some of these consist of drums for hazardous liquid waste, tanks for acid or caustic waste, collection bins for e-waste and bulk bins and skip bins for construction site waste.
Next in the cycle is organizing the transportation of all waste products collected.Specially created waste vehicles make scheduled collections and are responsible for safely transporting it to the landfill, or treatment site where it'll be treated and then processed for Recycling. Vehicles have to meet safety standards and be licensed for this purpose, as waste may be a health hazard and even dangerous if not handled correctly, drivers and personnel connected with the transportation are required to have the required training and expertise to deal with any potential danger.
Once the waste has all been collected it needs to be processed. This entails separating the waste collected, treating and then packaging the raw materials and sending the parts that can be recycled to the several factories which are all component of the recycling process. Materials that can’t be recycled will likely be transported to a landfill, and liquid and hazardous wastes will likely be disposed of safely.
Improvements and new practices in waste management and environmental solutions are in the news all the time, thanks to research and development projects which are committed to finding much more efficient and safe methods of disposing of waste. There are numerous issues which are recyclable now that just several years ago would have been thrown into a rising landfill, everyday items such as paper, glass, newspapers and plastic bags to printer cartridges, corks, mobile phones, even fluorescent lamps may be treated and re-used.
Society has experienced a massive learning curve in the reality that if we do not take action now to make certain our waste is processed correctly; nature will gladly do it for us, and in methods which may be detrimental to our environment.
Posted in computer recycling, Edinburgh Recycle, Edinburgh WEEE, eee, Energy, Food Recycling, Food Waste, glasgow eee, glasgow recycling, Glasgow waste, glasgow weee, landfill, London Recycle, London WEEE, Packaging Waste, Plastic Recycle, Plastic Recycling, Plastic waste, Recycle Edinburgh, Recycle London, Recycle UK, recycling, UK Recycle, UK WEEE, Waste management, Waste Plastic, weee, WEEE Edinburgh, WEEE London, WEEE UK, wheelie bin | Tags: Basics, computer recycling, edinburgh recycle, Edinburgh Recycling, Efficiency, electrical waste recycling, Environment, ENVIRONMENTAL, environmental management, glasgow eee, glasgow recycle, glasgow recycling, glasgow weee, ISO14001, London recycling, Management, Recycling, Reduce, Reducing, uk recycling, uk weee, Waste, waste management, waste recycling, weee | No Comments »
Increased fine for Company Charged with breaching waste regulations
A FIRM who broke waste dumping laws had their fine increased more than 11 times to £90,000 recently.
The Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh upheld a challenge brought by the Crown over the level of the sentence imposed on Doonin Plant.
They were originally fined just £8000 for breaking environmental laws as they dumped waste at Bardykes bing between Blantyre and Cambuslang, Lanarkshire.
Lord Clarke said the conduct of the company had involved “a blatant and complacent disregard” of its responsibilities.
The judges said they were satisfied that the original fine was unduly lenient.
(source Daily Record)
Could this be just the start of increased fines for companies flouting the environmental regulations?
Posted in computer recycling, Edinburgh WEEE, eee, Energy, Environmental accounting, Food Recycling, Food Waste, glasgow eee, glasgow recycling, Glasgow waste, glasgow weee, London Recycle, London WEEE, Packaging Waste, Plastic Recycle, Plastic Recycling, Plastic waste, Recycle Edinburgh, Recycle London, Recycle UK, recycling, Skip Hire, UK Recycle, UK WEEE, Waste, Waste management, Waste Plastic, weee, WEEE Edinburgh, WEEE London, WEEE UK, wheelie bin | Tags: Business, computer recycling, edinburgh recycle, Edinburgh Recycling, Edinburgh WEEE, Emissions, Energy, fines, Footprint, glasgow eee, glasgow recycling, glasgow weee, Waste, waste management, waste permits | No Comments »
New Plastic Recycling Discovery!
A new method has been developed to recycle plastic which would normally end up in landfill.
Currently approximately 12% of plastic found in household plastic and packaging is currently processed.
Now, however, a process has been developbed by Warwick University which could mean 100% of this type is waste can be recycled.
Municipal plastic solid waste is often too time-consuming and labour intensive to separate and clean and ends up going straight to landfill rather than being recycled.
Engineers at the University have invented a process that can cope with every piece of plastic waste and can even break some polymers, such as polystyrene, back down to its original monomers.
The researchers have devised a unit which uses pyrolysis (using heat in the absence of oxygen to decompose of materials) in a ‘fluidised bed’ reactor.
Tests have shown that the researchers have been able to literally shovel in to such a reactor a wide range of mixed plastics, which can then be reduced down to useful products. Many of these products can then be retrieved by simple distillation.
The products the Warwick team have been able to reclaim from the plastic mix include: wax that can be then used a lubricant; original monomers such as styrene that can be used to make new polystyrene; terephthalic acid which can be reused in PET plastic products, methylmetacrylate that can be used to make acrylic sheets, carbon which can be used as Carbon Black in paint pigments and tyres, and even the char left at the end of some of the reactions can be sold to use as activated carbon at a value of at least £400 a tonne.
This research could have a significant impact on the budgets of local authorities and produce considerable environmental benefits.
The lead researcher on the project, University of Warwick Engineering Professor Jan Baeyens, said:
“We envisage a typical large scale plant having an average capacity of 10,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year.
“In a year tankers would take away from each plant over £5 million worth of recycled chemicals and each plant would save £500,000 a year in land fill taxes alone.
“As the expected energy costs for each large plant would only be in the region of £50,000 a year the system will be commercially very attractive and give a rapid payback on capital and running costs.”
The work will be of great interest to local authorities and waste disposal companies who could use the technology to create large scale reactor units at municipal tips which would produce tanker loads of reusable material.
At Be Seen Go Green, we offer solutions for a variety of Environmental issues. Please click on the following link to contact us.
Posted in carbon emissions, carbon reduction, Climate Change, CO2, computer recycling, CRC, Edinburgh Recycle, Edinburgh WEEE, eee, Energy, Food Recycling, Food Waste, Footprint, ghg emissions, glasgow eee, glasgow recycling, Glasgow waste, glasgow weee, London Recycle, London WEEE, Packaging Waste, Plastic Recycle, Plastic Recycling, Plastic waste, Recycle Edinburgh, Recycle London, Recycle UK, recycling, UK Recycle, UK WEEE, Waste management, Waste Plastic, weee, WEEE Edinburgh, WEEE London, WEEE UK, wheelie bin | Tags: Benefits, Business, Change, Climate, computer recycling, edinburgh recycle, Edinburgh Recycling, electrical waste recycling, Emissions, Environment, ENVIRONMENTAL, glasgow eee, glasgow recycle, glasgow recycling, household plastic, London Plastics, London Recycle, plastic recycling, Plastics, Recycling, Reduce, Renewable, Uk Plastic recycling, UK Plastics, warming, Waste, waste plastic | No Comments »
WEEE Compliance, there is no option
The objective of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive is to reduce the environmental impact of electronic waste. The WEEE directive protects landfills and regulates the disposal of discarded electrical or electronic equipment (EEE) also known as e-waste. The related RoHS Directive strives to limit the use of six hazardous materials in the manufacture of electronic equipment.
The WEEE Directive provides a guide for the collection, treatment, recycling and recovery of waste electrical and electronic equipment. The “polluter pays” principle means collection and recovery is largely at the manufacturer’s expense. Specified products include such things as large and small household appliances, IT and telecommunications equipment, consumer equipment, IT and telecommunications equipment.
Reduction of hazardous material content in products at the manufacturing stage will reduce the content of such pollutants in electronic waste. This will enhance the economic feasibility of recycling. Hence RoHS compliance, which in any case is needed for doing business in the EU, is the first important element for any effective recycling. Increased efforts to design products that facilitate recycling of WEEE components and materials are extremely beneficial.
Recycling is one of several waste disposal options. Its effectiveness depends, to a large extent on the type of material to be recycled and the availability of appropriate technology. E-waste such as a computer can be discarded by the original users, but it may still be perfectly functional equipment. In this case material recovery and reuse is a better alternative than recycling. In fact the reuse of waste electrical and electronic equipment is the preferred economic option.
Recycling is technology and material specific. It is mandatory to collect electronic waste separately from municipal waste. While primary administrative responsibility lies with the state, manufacturers have an important role in educating customers on proper waste disposal. The WEEE directive mandates collection of electronic waste at the manufacturer’s cost. Manufacturers must not only ensure that convenient collection points are set up for consumers but must also make provisions for the transportation of the waste materials to the recycling plant.
The WEEE directive mandates that recycling sites should conform to certain minimum standards to prevent adverse environmental impact when treating waste EEE. In most cases, it will not be feasible for a single manufacturer to operate its own recycling center.
Throughout the WEEE recovery chain, producers are required to finance the cost of e-waste collection from consumers; transportation to the recycling center; treatment; recovery and disposal. Producers will generally need to collaborate with other manufacturers to collectively bear the cost for the recycling and waste disposal obligations.
The WEEE and the RoHS are here to stay and further strengthening of environmental regulations is inevitable. One such step is the impending Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH), regulations which beacme effective from June 1, 2007 within the European Union. The REACH regulation will control the use of a very wide range of chemicals and is not limited only to the electronics sector.
With these legislations it is important to adopt a proactive approach, ensuring compliance by producers, distributors and end users alike, of the WEEE electronic recycling directive.
This will surely provide the producers and distributors with increased competitiveness, within a competitive market, differentiating themselves from those who continue to break the law.
At Be Seen Go Green, we offer solutions for a variety of Environmental issues. Please click on the following link to contact us.
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WEEE: Questions to ask yourself if you sell EEE
I sell directly to household users. Am I a distributor?
- Yes.
I sell EEE only to Offices users. Am I a distributor?
- Yes, but some distributor obligations do not apply in relation to sales of non-household EEE.
However your customers may ask you for information about the registered producer of
the EEE, and that producer may ask you for information about non-household
customers and sales so that they can report their sales correctly. Please note sole traders and partnerships are classed as consumers.
I only sell second-hand equipment. Am I a distributor?
- Distributor obligations only apply in relation to the provision of EEE that has not been
previously placed on the UK market. However you will still require {permits, licences] to operate
I sell only ex-demonstration, mail-order returns, open-box or surplus EEE. Am I distributor?
- Yes, ex-demonstration, “open box” EEE and mail-order returns are regarded as new
EEE and therefore normal distributor obligations apply.
I provide EEE incidentally to my main business (credit card rewards, loyalty bonus, and advertising). Am I a distributor?
- Yes. If you provide EEE to household users on a commercial basis, then you are a
distributor.
If I allow take-back, do I have to allow consumers to bring back any Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment?
- Consumers may bring back items of equipment which they are replacing with an
equivalent new product on a like-for-like basis. If you offer take-back you must do this
for all types of EEE you sell. So, for example, a consumer buying a new microwave
oven would be entitled to take-back of one old microwave oven as WEEE. You would
not be expected to take back a completely different type of equipment, for example a
washing machine for a DVD player.
What is “equivalent” Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment?
- Distributors are expected to adopt a reasonable interpretation of equivalence. For
example, a customer should be allowed to bring back an old video cassette recorder
when purchasing a new DVD player/recorder, as even though this is not strictly a like-for-
like replacement, the new product is intended to fulfil the same function.
How long after a purchase should I give consumers to bring back their Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment?
- The WEEE Regulations do not lay down a minimum period for which take-back should
be offered. However, given that it is unlikely that customers will carry WEEE with them
while shopping, distributors are should accept WEEE within a reasonable period following a sale (e.g. 28 days). You may wish to endorse the sales receipt to govern
deferred in-store take-back of WEEE
Are faulty items returned to me classed as Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment?
- No. Items intended for repair and return to use are not regarded as waste. However,
once it becomes clear that items are beyond repair and hence are to be discarded they
should be regarded as WEEE. From this point they should be dealt with in accordance
with the WEEE Regulations.
Can I charge customers if I offer collection-on-delivery services?
- It remains at the discretion of retailers whether to charge or not for any collection on
delivery services that they provide to consumers, but any such services would not fulfil
your take-back obligations.
How do I do take-back if I am a mail order distributor?
- Distance sellers must either join the DTS, offer in-store take-back through one of their
local stores (where these exist) or provide the customer with an alternative local route
for free take-back. The distributor must tell customers how they can dispose of WEEE,
for example via their catalogue, website, sales receipts, or through a leaflet included
with the purchase.
The producer demands a large product display to show his recycling costs. What should I do?
- The WEEE Regulations give producers the right to display any costs associated with
recycling historical WEEE. A distributor of EEE may not obscure or remove a sticker on
the product, but would not be obliged to erect an in-store display with the costs.
Producers and distributors may negotiate between themselves the appropriate means
of display.
At Be Seen Go Green, we offer solutions for a variety of Environmental issues. Please click on the following link to contact us.
Posted in computer recycling, Data protection, Edinburgh Recycle, Edinburgh WEEE, eee, glasgow eee, glasgow recycling, Glasgow waste, glasgow weee, landfill, London Recycle, London WEEE, Packaging Waste, Plastic Recycle, Plastic Recycling, Plastic waste, Recycle Edinburgh, Recycle London, Recycle UK, recycling, UK Recycle, UK WEEE, Waste management, Waste Plastic, weee, WEEE Edinburgh, WEEE London, WEEE UK | Tags: Business, computer recycling, edinburgh recycle, Edinburgh Recycling, Edinburgh WEEE, Electrical retailers, electrical waste recycling, Enterprise, Environment, ENVIRONMENTAL, glasgow eee, glasgow recycle, glasgow recycling, glasgow weee, London WEEE, Power, Recycling, Reduce, Reducing, Retailers, uk weee, waste management, weee | 1 Comment »
WEEE Recycling: Legal Requirements
What many people do not appretiate is that as well as other laws such as packaging regulations, in 2004 the EC passed a directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. In the UK this is known as WEEE, WEEE compliance or WEEE regulations. Now organisations need to be aware of what it entails to remain legal.
When thinking about recycling people automatically think of paper, cardboard, glass and plastic. We rarely give a second thought to what will be happening to our white goods and general electrical appliances once we‘ve decided they need to go down the tip.
The fact is Electrical equipment is the fastest growing category of rubbish across the European Union. This seems to make sense when you consider how much we rely on electronic and electrical goods to enjoy life and to function in our workplace in modern society. But it’s perhaps a little frightening, that according to statistics around 20kg per person of electrical waste is created every year. Annually, the UK now produces around 2 million tonnes of waste electrical equipment
The WEEE Recycling Directive
The WEEE recycling directive covers three main areas:
Under WEEE compliance, manufacturers and producers of electrical equipment will be expected to take into consideration eco-friendly requirements at design stage. At the fundamental stage of production both manufacturers and importers will be responsible for ensuring they plan for their products to be recycled rather than dumped in landfill. Where possible this will also include further production of existing products.
WEEE recycling regulations will require electrical equipment producers to finance treatment and recycling/recovery of separately collected WEEE in the UK, to specified treatment standards and recycling/recovery targets.
The WEEE directive will mean that all shops and retailers are be required by law to provide take-back services to consumers. Gone are the days when you had to ask your self – will they take my old cooker away?
What products are covered in the WEEE compliance regulations?
Products and commodities covered in the regulations are:
audiovisual and lighting equipment;
IT and telecommunications equipment;
medical devices;
electrical and electronic tools;
toys, leisure and sports equipment.
automatic dispensers;
household appliances
For further information about WEEE or joining complydirect compliance scheme visit: http://www.beseengogreen.eu
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Computer Retailers & Manufacturers Need To Be More Responsible
Computer Aid International has called for companies involved with IT to be more responsible for the environmental cost of their products.
The organisation has produced a report: Green ICT: what producers must do, blaming original equipment manufacturers for poor practice and pollution in production.
A manufacturer, in terms of The WEEE Directive, is any company who assebles computers, ranging from your Joe Bloggs PC retailer in the high street to the Multinationals such as Dell, they are both treated equally!
They say that manufacturers need to take responsibility for the entire life-cycle of their products.
The report argues that most environmental damage of computing happens during manufacturing; for instance, 80% of the energy used over a PC’s lifecycle is used before it is switched on for the first time.
The report cites mining materials and the excessive use of toxic chemicals in production as the source of the enormous carbon footprint made by manufacturing and its global sourcing and distribution chains.
Computer Aid International CEO Tony Roberts said: “In Europe all ICT manufactures including HP, Samsung, Nokia, Apple, and small independants have a legal duty to fund the end of life recycling of equipment that they produced.
“Within Europe manufacturers fulfil this requirement of corporate social responsibility and are justifiably proud of their green credentials.
“However we would argue that they have exactly the same moral obligations where their products are sold in Africa, Asia and elsewhere.
“Most developing countries are entirely without the kind of facilities necessary to re-use and recycle ICTs and to recover the precious metals and other composite materials before they pollute the environment and threaten public health and safety.”
The report calls for producers to be responsible for the end-of-life management of their goods in all countries they operate in, not just in rich developed countries, so that all nations can build the operational capacity to re-use IT equipment and to recycle e-waste.
It says producers need to shift the cost of toxic, wasteful design away from communities and the environment back to themselves.
They call for producers to be forced to include the real costs of their goods through wide-ranging programmes that encourage eco-design
To find out how the WEEE directive affects you, whether you’re an end user, retailer or manufacturer, contact Be Seen Go Geen for advice and help
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The WEEE Directive, what is it?
The WEEE 2006 directive concerns the responsible disposal of electrical and Electronic devices, such as computer equipment by companies and individuals, and is now enshrined in European Law. Defra sums it up thus: “This directive aims to reduce the amount of WEEE being produced and encourages everyone to reuse, recycle and recover it.” The purpose of the directive is to protect the “soil, water and air against pollution through better disposal of waste and electrical and electronic equipment. It also stimulates the reuse, recycling and other forms of recovery of such wastes so as to reduce the disposal of waste.”
What does it mean to us? and, how does it control the disposal of our used electrical equipment such as computers and household electrical items? The directive is designed to make us think about the impact on the environment that the disposal of electrical and computer equipment has. We can no longer just dump equipment without giving it a second thought. Prior to the introduction of this legislation up to 1.5million PCs were disposed of in landfill sites throughout the UK and who knows how long it will take for them to decompose? Now, they must either be recycled bit by bit making safe any hazardous or toxic components, or they must be reconditioned making them useful again, if not for use within Europe then in third world countries.
Before sending your electrical equipment to far-flung corners of the world the hard disks must be wiped clean, as unfortunately many PCs are discarded still loaded with information that the previous owners certainly wouldn’t want anyone else to access! There are many companies who will ensure that this happens on your behalf as part of the reconditioning process. As owners we often get rid of PC equipment when there is absolutely nothing functionally wrong with it. It will still work, but just not as fast as the latest models that we have replaced it with, so it’s ideal for that sort of kit to go to the computer recyclers. If you are concerned that by exporting the reconditioned computers to the third world, we are merely shifting the waste burden there, then don’t be. .
However, some other equipment may not be as easily reconditioned as it really is obsolete so it has to be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way. There are now a number of professional computer disposal equipment companies, who will collect your old equipment and ensure that it is destroyed in accordance with the WEEE directive by breaking it down and make all the components safe. If you use a company such as this they will provide you with a detailed summary of what they have done with your old equipment, ensuring that you are aware of what has happened to it and putting your mind at rest that you have done your bit for the environment and according to the latest legislation, not only this they will provide, in fact they must do, a waste transfer certificate, relieving you of your duty of care of your old electricals and electronics.
In 2010 the UK bought 9.5 million new TV sets, this is just one small example of how much we buy anually. New legislation is being proposed that will see a need to increase ethical disposal of, for example, those 9.5 million sets upto 85%, in theory then, in 2010 we in the UK should have recycled, re-used or disposed of just under 8.1 million TV sets.
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