eBuyer & WEEE Regulations

[acrobson]

We are always getting encouraged to recycle and told to return things to our retailers of whom we purchased from, however, with the online shopping industry growing, who do we return it to then.

So i asked one of my main retailers which i use on almost a weekly basis, and they agreed, have a look. Given the cost of disposal which companies and loclal councils charge, this could save a packet.

There is always the argument for data security etc, but if you remove the HDD's etc or wipe them effeciently, there shouldn't be much of a problem.

Read below.

SENT:-

Dear eBuyer,

We are currently being encouraged to adear to the Waste Electrical and
Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations and return electrical items to the
retailer at the end of their electronic life span. I have viewed your
website and have found no reference to this what so ever and would like to
know where you stand on this matter and what (if anything) you have in
place in order to deal with this issue.

Kind Regards,


Reply:-

Thank you for your contact with our Customer Support Team.


I apologise for the delay in response.

I have been advised we will collect old electrical equipment and dispose of
this in accordance with the WEEE convention.

If I can be of any further assistance please contact me.

Kind Regards

Ebuyer Customer Support Team

Has anyone else had any experience of this and know of any other retailer 'online' or other wise i guess which are happy to pick equipment up free of charge and dispose of it etc. It may be handy for all our budgets, to know :!:

Cheers,

[localzuk]

Did they mean for free? They legally have to take back equipment they sell whilst being able to charge for transportation as far as I'm aware.

[contink]

Yeah, I'd like to know cost on this... and I'm guessing they're referring to items bought from them... not wholesale stuff from elsewhere.

[srochford]

RS have one of the best explanations I've seen of how WEEE works - http://rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/browse/C...p?cacheID=ukie (if the link doesn't work then the front page of their web site has a direct link).

I'd be very surprised if ebuyer will just take anything back but if (say) you buy a new printer to replace an existing printer which has the crossed out wheelie bin logo then they do have to take back your old printer but can charge for collection.

[acrobson]

They didn't say anything about costs etc, however, like they say, no news is good news!

It may be worth mailing them to find out if anyone is interested. I do know if you wish to return something to them after buying it, and it is over a certain weight, they do, do it for free.

[kylewilliamson]

I was under the impression it was equipment purchased after a certain date.

[acrobson]

I was under the impression it was equipment purchased after a certain date.

As far as i am aware, it's pretty much anything electrical, which you purchased from a store, of which at the end of it's electronic life span (When it doese'nt work no more) you then take it back to the retailer in order for them to recycle it in accordance with the WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) regulations.

http://www.arrow.com/green/glossary.html

From Google:

'The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (2002/96/EC) mandates that producers of electronic equipment exported to and manufactured within the European Union be financially responsible for the recovery, recycling and environmentally-sound treatment of WEEE'


'Since August 13, 2005 the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive of the European Union has obliged all European manufacturers'

[klawd]

Seems this is not as clear cut and the whole scheme is a stupid idea. Dabs site says this.............


The Distributor Take Back Scheme

Dabs has joined the Distributor Take Back Scheme (DTS). The DTS is designed to meet the obligations of distributors without the need to offer free in store take back. Instead of offering free in store back, distributors will make a financial contribution to the DTS which will be used to assist in the development of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) collection facilities throughout the UK.

It is likely that approximately 1000 civic amenity (CA) sites will be upgraded to Designated Collection Facilities (DCFs) where consumers of WEEE from private households can deposit their WEEE.

Distributors joining the DTS will have their obligations met for the following three years, and therefore Dabs will not be required to offer any form of free take back of WEEE until at least 2010.

http://www.dabs4work.com/Article.aspx?ArticleId=3292

It is unreasonable to expect firms have to deal with the disposal of products you have bought from somewhere else.

[acrobson]

Seems this is not as clear cut and the whole scheme is a stupid idea. Dabs site says this.............


The Distributor Take Back Scheme

Dabs has joined the Distributor Take Back Scheme (DTS). The DTS is designed to meet the obligations of distributors without the need to offer free in store take back. Instead of offering free in store back, distributors will make a financial contribution to the DTS which will be used to assist in the development of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) collection facilities throughout the UK.

It is likely that approximately 1000 civic amenity (CA) sites will be upgraded to Designated Collection Facilities (DCFs) where consumers of WEEE from private households can deposit their WEEE.

Distributors joining the DTS will have their obligations met for the following three years, and therefore Dabs will not be required to offer any form of free take back of WEEE until at least 2010.

http://www.dabs4work.com/Article.aspx?ArticleId=3292

It is unreasonable to expect firms have to deal with the disposal of products you have bought from somewhere else.

'It is unreasonable to expect firms have to deal with the disposal of products you have bought from somewhere else.'

I can accept that, but if you have purchased something from them, surely when it's dead they should take it back in accordance with the WEEE directives etc.

[john]

A lot of firms are joining the DTS Scheme, covers a multitude of issue all for a small fee each year.