The WEEE Directive

What is the background of the WEEE directive?

As the European Union (EU) became aware of the increasing amounts of hazardous waste being dumped into European landfill sites, evidence pointed overwhelmingly in the direction of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) as the major contributor. The increase of these devices in the market place coupled with their decreasing life span was clearly having a substantial environmental impact that needed to be addressed. After a decade of research and awareness campaigns throughout the 90's, a number of EU environmental action plans were put in place beginning in 2000 and culminated in the drafting of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive which took effect on August 13, 2005 making manufactures responsible for the end of life collection of EEE they manufacture and finally its companion legislation, the Restrictions of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS) which takes effect on July 1, 2006 requiring EEE manufactures to eliminate six hazardous substances from their products.

What are the key elements of the WEEE directive?

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive (2002/96/EC), covers waste EEE used by consumers and for professional purposes. It mandates a number of recycling procedures, lays out responsibilities and sets a series of recycling and waste treatment goals.

• Establishes demanding recycling and recovery targets for various categories of WEEE
• Requires EU member states to establish and maintain a register of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) producers (manufacturers, sellers, distributors)
• Producers will be responsible for end of life collecting and recycling of EEE
• Producers must provide a convenient means for private householders to return WEEE to collection facilities free of charge
• Producers must mark EEE with the ‘crossed out wheelie bin’ symbol (see below)
• Producers must make arrangements for the treatment of all WEEE they have collected
  (see our resouce guide for take back program providers and label manufacturers)

What is the purpose of the WEEE directive?

The WEEE directive is intended to promote recycling of electrical and electronic equipment and their components at end of life. In so doing, the directive aims to reduce the volume or waste amassing in European landfills which are leaching hazardous chemicals into groundwater supplies creating a potential hazard to wildlife, agriculture and human habitation. The WEEE directive encourages environmentally responsible practices among all those involved in the life cycle of electrical and electronic products.

Who does the WEEE directive apply to?

The WEEE directive applies to all those involved in manufacturing, selling, distributing, recycling or treating electrical and electronic equipment in the EU.

What markings are required on my products?

The WEEE directive requires that all products be marked with the "wheelie bin" symbol to indicate that they may not be discarded for curbside pick up.

What electrical and electronic equipment does WEEE apply to?

The ten product categories listed below are those which must comply with the WEEE Directive. The bulleted items below each category are examples of specific products which must comply as listed in Annex 1B of the WEEE directive and are not meant to be exhaustive.

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

• Centralized 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

• Luminaires 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, rowing, etc.
• Sports equipment with electric or electronic components
• Coin slot machines

8. Medical Devices with the exception of all implanted & infected products - Not applicable to the RoHS directive

• 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 & Control Instruments - Not applicable to the RoHS directive

• Smoke detector
• Heating regulators
• Thermostats
• Measuring, weighing or adjusting appliances for household or as laboratory equipment
• Other monitoring and control instruments used in industrial installations such as those 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

Please note that the WEEE directive is subject to revision at any time. To get up-to-date information direct from the source go to the WEEE/RoHS section of the Europa web site:

www.europa.eu.int

What equipment is exempt from WEEE?

• equipment not powered directly by electric currents or electromagnetic fields
• products with electronic or electrical components that are not needed to perform their primary function
• electrical or electronic equipment that is an integral part of another type of equipment such as a car radio
• large scale stationary industrial tools
• medical implants or infected medical equipment at the end of its life
• household luminaries
• filament light bulbs
• equipment used by the military or security services.

  Download WEEE Directive

  Download WEEE/RoHS FAQ