Business in Berkshire - Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment regulations

UK SMEs don’t have a clue when it comes to WEEE recycling

The majority of small UK businesses seem to be completely naive about the WEEE technology recycling regulations a year after they were introduced.

According to a survey commissioned by environmental guidance, a mere 12% of SMEs were able to name the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations voluntarily, and only a third of them knew about the regulations when named.

NetRegs program manager, Richard Martin stated: "SMEs generate 60% of all commercial waste in England and Wales so it's critical that all users of electrical equipment understand what WEEE means for them and it is worrying that only one in eight SMEs are aware of WEEE legislation unprompted."

"Where previously businesses may have had to pay for a skip, now they can contact the producer of electrical goods they purchased since 2005 to dispose of their WEEE."

Introduced in January 2007, the regulations goal was to reduce the 1 million tonnes of electrical waste that is currently residing at landfills across the country every year.

It has fallen to the producers of this electrical waste to treat, collect and recycle any old equipment. This means that small businesses no longer have to pay for equipment to be sent to landfills, instead returning it to the manufacturer.

Despite an almost wide spread ignorance when it comes to WEEE, almost 50% of SMEs have now introduced methods to decrease the environmental impact.

For more information, go to: http://www.netregs.gov.uk/netregs/275207/1631119/?version=1&lang=_e

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