| It seems you can not go a month in the UK | | | | ensure i knew where my equipment was ending |
| without hearing the latest horror story of | | | | up however others do not have that same |
| electrical waste (WEEE) being stopped at the | | | | thought. |
| ports in containers for exportation. Companies and | | | | Companies and individuals that are clearing out |
| individuals believe that when they recycle their old | | | | their IT storage room (for example) need to do |
| electrical equipment it is destined for reuse or | | | | their homework on the company that they are |
| material level recycling. But that is not always the | | | | using for their recycling. Any legitimate recycling |
| case. | | | | company in the UK, will be registered with the |
| If you type the phrase "electrical waste | | | | Environment Agency to either carry, store, sort |
| exportation" into your search engine you will read | | | | or treat waste, depending on their activities. When |
| some of the stories that have recently made the | | | | first discussing a recycling collection, ask to see a |
| news. Within the WEEE directive the emphasis for | | | | copy of their waste carriers license, ask them |
| recycling is lower in priority than reuse, if the item | | | | where the equipment will end up and the recycling |
| works reuse it, if it doesn't break it down to its | | | | process. You should be given duty of care |
| raw materials. However non working equipment | | | | paperwork that will follow the equipment on each |
| has been found destined for exportation that is | | | | part of its journey, whether for reuse or for |
| the problem. Such equipment will contain | | | | material recovery recycling. You have a legal |
| hazardous components, harmful to the | | | | obligation to know where your equipment ends up. |
| environment and the people that will probably strip | | | | For example say you had some equipment |
| the equipment by hand. The UK has the | | | | collected by a recycling company that then fly |
| technology to recycle non working equipment in a | | | | tipped the equipment near by. The environment |
| safe and environmentally friendly way, so non | | | | agency may investigate the equipment, trace it |
| working equipment must be processed in the UK | | | | back to you and then prosecute you for not |
| without exportation! | | | | disposing of the equipment in a legal and friendly |
| The reuse of working equipment within the UK is | | | | way. You do have a clear responsibility! |
| great, and it's practical to find a new home for | | | | I hope to see the day when we don't hear any |
| something that is in demand. For example newer | | | | type of waste being exported illegally especially |
| IT equipment can be reused in schools, charities | | | | electrical waste. We all have a responsibility to |
| etc.. This is a good idea we all say, however, with | | | | dispose of any type of waste in an ethical |
| working items also being shipped abroad, what | | | | manner regardless of what it is. If companies and |
| happens when that working piece of equipment | | | | individuals took the time to investigate the |
| no longer works in another country? The chances | | | | company they were thinking of using to recycle |
| are the item will end up in a undeveloped country | | | | their WEEE waste, the majority of these horror |
| where recycling technologies, environmental laws | | | | stories would not happen. Take your time, do |
| and health safety are not as regulated as that of | | | | your homework and recycle, recycle, recycle. |
| the UK and Europe. The equipment may well be | | | | For more information on legal and environmentally |
| stripped by hand at the end of its life, including the | | | | friendly weee recycling for businesses please |
| hazardous components for refining the materials | | | | contact Pure Planet Recycling. |
| out of them. I would feel a social responsibility to | | | | |