Managing your sWEEE - reuse, repair and recycle
Reuse and Repair
To transition to a more circular economy, it is important that we all take steps to ensure that products are kept in use for as long as possible. When making purchases in the first place, please try and consider the longevity of the item and its repairability.
If you have small electricals that you no longer need you should first consider whether they can be re-used, by passing onto staff, or donating to local reuse organisations. If you have small electrical items that no longer work, you should consider whether they can be repaired or refurbished to extend their life.
If repair and/or re-use is not an option for your small electricals and you decide you must discard the item/s you will need to ensure they are kept separate from all other types of waste and recycled.
Recycle
Where repair and/or reuse of your sWEEE isn’t possible, and you decide you must discard your item/s, workplaces are required to keep their sWEEE separate from other types of waste and ensure it is either collected or dropped off for onwards recycling. Options for the responsible collection or drop off of your sWEEE include:
checking with the original manufacturer/ producer of your electricals, who often have a responsibility to take back waste electricals at end of life
checking if the item can go back to a local in-store take back scheme – this is often possible if the small electrical item is dual-use (i.e. a common item that can be used in both a household and non-domestic setting like a kettle, hairdryer or toaster) (see ‘drop-off’ section below for more information on in-store take back)
checking whether your Local Authority will allow you to take your item/s to a Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) that permits access to trade customers
taking the item/s to a permitted, privately-owned drop-off or take-back location that will accept your workplace sWEEE
making arrangements with professional licensed waste collectors, such as commercial companies or your local authority, for your item/s to be collected (separately from all other materials) and recycled
working with Information Technology Asset Disposition (ITAD) organisations that handle end of life IT equipment
making direct arrangements with specialist electrical recyclers (Approved Authorised Treatment Facilities (AATFs))
Waste collectors that collect sWEEE are obligated to do so separately from other materials and not to subsequently mix it. They are required to send it for recycling, as with all specified materials under the Workplace Recycling Laws.