WEEE to be taken back in-store by retailers

From the 1^st January 2021, large electronic retailers will be obligated to accept waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in-store at no cost to the consumer.

The changes to recycling obligations will require retailers who have a turnover for sales of electronic equipment in excess of £100,000 to provide a takeback service for WEEE into their stores from 2021.

Previously, under the WEEE Regulations, electronic retailers could meet their requirement to fund the collection of WEEE by either offering in-store takeback or by joining the Distributor Takeback Scheme (DTS). The DTS allowed the money paid by participating retailers to be used to support infrastructure and projects aimed at improving WEEE collection rates.

With phase 4 of the DTS scheme ending in December 2019, an interim phase 5 has proceeded through 2020 and will continue into 2021 for e-commerce businesses. However, this ends for retailers with a physical store on the 31^st December.

It is estimated that the number of drop off points consumers will be able to use for their WEEE will increase from around 400-500 to 10,000 across the UK.

Takeback is to be offered by retailers on a one-to-one basis where a product can be returned when another is bought. A receipt will be considered proof of sale, and as long as an old item is returned within 28 days of a receipt being issued it will be accepted. Small items of WEEE will have to be accepted, irrespective of purchase, if the retailer has more than 400m2 of retail space.

Vikkie Fitzgerald, Head of WEEE Compliance for Clarity Environmental, commented:

“This will be great news for consumers wishing to dispose of their unwanted electronics, with retail stores often having more convenient opening hours and better accessibility than some disposal sites.

“We have been supporting our WEEE compliance members who are going to be affected from next year, offering our own in-house takeback services and ensuring that this change will be a positive experience for them. If you feel you would also benefit from a free review of your own takeback arrangements, I would be delighted to hear from you.”

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