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How do I dispose of my old computer equipment?
“Every year an estimated 2 million tonnes of WEEE items are discarded by householders and companies in the UK” states a gov.uk website. In an effort to recycle and eliminate electrical waste going into landfill, the current WEEE directives issued by EU and UK law, require manufacturers to not only manufacture responsibly, but to actively encourage the recycling and correct disposal of products.
Primary computer equipment comes into two categories – Home/Domestic and Business/Commercial.
For home and domestic WEEE, this can be recycled via schemes operated by the retailers, and manufactures, who are legally bound to accept your old goods in a like for like purchase and provide a way for you to dispose of your old waste. This is done via either collection by the manufacturer or by funding a national scheme to which helps to pay for facilities at our local recycling centres. If in any doubt ask about WEEE disposal at your time of purchase.
For business and commercial users, WEEE waste must be disposed of via either the manufacturer’s take back scheme (which may only apply in like for like purchases) or an approved recycling company. Normally your computer waste cannot go to the local recycling centre, and should be disposed of via uplift by an approved WEEE waste company. This keeps you company compliant and give traceability if your were ever audited. Normally this is done free or for a small charge for the uplift.
Why does this matter. Well potentially all waste found in land fill can be traced – and if it can be traced back to your company then you can be liable for a fine.
Ultimately though it’s the responsible thing to do. It means that the resources used to make many our computer products can be used again.
