What is WEEE compliance ?

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive sets responsibilities for businesses selling and/or using Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE). The WEEE directive was first published in 2002 and has been updated in 2012. Indeed, WEEE are end of life EEE.

Rohs directive regulates the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), which each producer have to comply with this declaration.

Obligated parties are called “Producers” and defined as businesses or entities placing a product sales reference onto a national market for the first time. Producers can be manufacturers, OEMs, importers, distance sellers, distributor, ecommerce, brand owners (license for import and/or distribution), etc.

Producers are required not only to fulfill product compliance requirements but also end-of-life management in each country: provide take-back, recycling and recovery solutions to the stakeholders active on their supply chain as well as to the final end users of the goods.

WEEE obligations: products and obligations

WEEE scope of products and devices

Are your products in the scope of such legislation?

In fact, WEEE regulation covers everything that require an electric current, a battery, or solar energy in order to operate.

They are categorized into differents groups:

temperature

Temperature exchange equipment

Fridges, freezers, air conditioning, heating pumps, etc.

monitoring-weee-compliance

Screens, monitors and equipment containing screens (>100cm2)

Monitors, TV sets, tablets, etc.

lamps-weee-compliance

Lamps

Fluorescent lamps, high intensity discharge lamps, pressure sodium lamps, etc.

washing-machine-weee-compliance

Large equipment

Dishwasher, ventilation system, washing machine, hoven, electric cooker, vacuum cleaner, mower, luminaires, copying equipment, large medical devices, musical equipment, etc.

mixer-weee-compliance

Small equipment

All other type of electrical and electronic equipment smaller than 50cms (length, large or width): hifi, hair dryer, blender, mixer, electrical toy, drill, shaver, watches, smoke detectors, video cameras, thermostats, device with integrated photovoltaic panel, etc.

cell-phone-weee-compliance

Small IT and telecommunication equipment

All IT and telecom devices that are smaller than 50cms (length, large or width): smartphone, router, desktop, printer, wires, set top box, GPS, VHF radio, etc.

Producer’ obligations and responsibilities

In each country, companies with “producer” responsibility are required to:

  • Register to the National Registry, with the appropriate authorities to ensure compliance and waste management
  • Declare at regular frequencies notably quantities and weights of electronic products placed on the market
  • Manage information and communication to end-users (marking) about the recycle of their electronic tools
  • Organize takeback and recycling of equivalent old appliances to respect e waste recycling
  • Finance take back and recycling to ensure waste collection
  • Report figures for takeback and recycling to the authorities in all the different country your electrical equipment are (different in each european union)

Turn legal obligations into business opportunities

How to deal with multi country compliance?

 

In order to manage their compliance per country, producers can contract with dedicated companies (WEEE compliance schemes) that have the legal, financial and operational capacities to provide them WEEE compliance administrative, take back and recycling solutions in a specific country.

However, producers involved in several countries shall consider to simplify proceedings and compliance so as to secure business and legal compliance.

It is often easier to contract with a general contractor in order to facilitate multi country proceedings.

What are the benefits of WEEE compliance and recycling?

WEEE compliance is required in each country where a legal framework for WEEE regulation exists.

  1. Market access and product compliance
  2. Facilitating deals with partners
  3. Securing trademark and brand image
  4. Market differentiation
  5. Availability of take-back and recycling services (for clients, business partners and warehouses)
  6. Contributing to a company’s corporate social responsibility and ethical code of conduct

Achieve compliance, thanks to a WEEE expert

Identify obligations and define compliance needs properly

This will draw the legal requirements per market presence and will determine whether a company has WEEE obligations or not, according to sales routes and channels, involvement of business partners, invoicing mechanism etc.

Key elements to involve colleagues and management into WEEE compliance

Market differentiation, loyalty programs towards clients, budget planning, code of ethic CSR, etc.

Communication levies

Inform the public and business partners about company’s compliance and performance.

Provide compliance solution to facilitate business decisions

Clarify compliance stakes, plan budget and cost estimates, identify reporting IT solution, data preparation and registration overviews.

Get an expert to comply with WEEE directive

Compliance is mandatory for Producers, although there is no European harmonization mechanism. The understanding and compliance of WEEE compliance across countries is time consuming.

Experts and compliance and recycling hub reduce time and efforts and provide solutions, IT solutions, and legal consulting to respond to internal and external stakes.

Compliance hub offer coordination services and avoid multiple vendors interactions, such as central reporting, central contracting, central payments, overviews, etc.

Over 80 producers trust of our expertise

Your European Compliance and Recycling Hub for WEEE, batteries and packaging

WEEElogic

We are a pan-European one stop compliance hub for take back & recycling of Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment, Waste batteries and Waste packaging.

We set up and coordinate registrations, membership applications, contractual and reporting requirements with the relevant governing bodies, authorities, authorised representatives, compliance and take-back schemes.

weee-consulting
We provide you with relevant obligations analysis consulting and recommendations
centralize-weee-compliance
We centralize and coordinate compliance across countries for you
setup-weee-compliance
We setup standard and central payment systems
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We provide access to our European compliance portal and reporting tool

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