WEEE Regulations

The new WEEE Regulations have been put in place with effect from January 2007 to tackle the growing amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). These apply to all companies who import, manufacture or re-brand electrical equipment in the UK.

In one year the amount of electrical waste we create in the UK would fill the new Wembley 6 times!
This is a lot of electrical waste! So to reduce the amount of electrical items going to landfill the government has introduced some new regulations called The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations.

Why should we recycle waste electrical goods?

The amount of electrical waste we throw away is increasing by around 5% each year, making it the fastest growing waste stream in the UK.
Each year in the UK we throw away over 1.2 million tonnes of electrical and electronic waste. That is the equivalent of 150 thousand double decker buses!

This increase is mainly down to:

• new technologies being developed
• affluent society
• throw away lifestyle

Over 75% of waste electrical goods end up in landfill, where lead and other toxins contained in the electrical goods can cause soil and water contamination.

This can have a very harmful effect on natural habitat, wildlife and also human health. When situated near populated areas these toxins can cause problems to communities as their water and soil is polluted.

Many of the electrical items that we throw away can be repaired or recycled. Recycling items helps to save natural finite resources and also reduces the environmental and health risks associated with sending waste electrical goods to landfill.

To minimise our impact on this earth and to protect the environment for future generations it is important that we are all aware of the consequences of our actions and how we can make a difference.

The Crossed out Wheelie Bin symbol Electrical and Electronic Equipment that was made after 13 August 2005 should display this symbol on the packaging or product.

Electrical recycling facts

• Electrical goods are the fastest growing waste stream in the UK, growing by 5% each year
• In the UK the amount of electrical waste we create in one year would fill the new Wembley 6 times!
• Each year in the UK we go through over 1.2 million tonnes of electrical waste. That is the equivalent of 150 thousand double decker buses!
• 75% of waste electronics end up in landfill sites
• In the lifetime of 1 UK citizen 3.3 tonnes of waste electronics is created! (weeeman.org)
• Two million TV sets are discarded every year - most end up in landfill sites (Recycle Now)
• "Over six million electrical items are thrown away every year in the UK. It is estimated that over half of them are still working or could easily be repaired." (ITDG, 2003)
• 15 million mobile phones are upgraded in the UK each year, laid from end-to-end they would reach from John O'Groats to Lands End! (www.sciencemuseum.org.uk)

Obriens products

The following products purchased from OBriens for household use are eligible to the WEEE regulations.

• Minicoolers
• Minibars

What customer needs to do?

1. Customer may take old unit to their local tip.
2. Customer can contact Obriens direct on 01264 358293

Customer would then need to make arrangement for the unit to be sent to Obriens. Obriens are then responsible for disposal of old like for like unit. Customer must contact Obriens direct before sending old unit for disposal.

Gas fridges that we supply do NOT come under the WEEE regulations but can be disposed of by contacting

Brian Clark of Clark Tooling on 01366 347793

Clark tooling do charge for the disposal of gas fridges and customer has to arrange delivery.