Historic WEEE dispute

[meastaugh1]

I am looking to purchase 50 monitors, but the manufacturer is saying that they will not be responsible for collecting and recycling the historic WEEE it is replacing. It is my understand that the producer of new WEEE is responsible for dealing with historic WEEE it replaces (where historic WEEE is pre-2005). The info on the environment agency and BERR websites seem to confirm this. If I'm wrong, can someone let me know why they wouldn't have to deal with old equipment.

 

If the producer continues to refuse to deal with the historic WEEE, any idea what recourse there is for this situation?

[SteveMC]

I think it depends on whether the supplier of the new equipment is also the producer. It's the producer that has to arrange for the disposal of the kit being replaced. According to this PDF, producers are:

 

all companies who import, manufacture, or re-brand electrical equipment in the UK

 

So, if the supplier has simply sold you new TFTs from LG or somesuch brand, it's the original manufacturer that should have something in place (unless your supplier was the original importer of the kit into this country). According to the PDF linked earlier, your supplier is obliged to give you contact details for the producer - or details of the WEEE disposal scheme that the producer has put in place.

 

If your supplier has re-branded the LG screens (even if it's literally by changing a logo) then I think they will be responsible for disposing of your old kit.

 

It's not the clearest legislation in the world...

[meastaugh1]

I'm sure the company is the producer in this context. They suggested it was the end-user's responsibility for disposal, and not theirs, nor any other company in the supply chain.

 

I've come across that PDF, as well as the WEEE Regulations 2006 Government Guidance Notes.

 

My experience with most companies and WEEE hasn't been too bad, there's just the one or two.

[OutToLunch]

As I understood it, unless it's own brand stuff they are a distributor/supplier not a producer - so it is the original manufacturer which has responsibility. Misco has a full list of contact details for manufacturers and their disposal schemes here :

 

WEEE Directive; manufacturers compliance scheme - Misco.co.uk

[meastaugh1]

Having spoken to the producer and environment agency today, it would seem that responsibility for collection of historic WEEE depends upon the type of WEEE regsitration. If it's a B2B then the reseller is reponsible, but the producer contributes financially, if it's a B2C, then the producer is responsible for collection...?

[garthsmojo]

The main difference in the Weee regulations is that if you are a home user then the cost of disposal and return of the item from where it was bought must be borne by the manufacturer. This means if it was delivered direct to your house then they must pick it up, if you collected it from a shop/distributor then you must drop it back. All costs incured must not be passed on to the end user.

 

In the case of Buisness to Buisness (B2B) the manufacturer must set a system where by the items can be collected or delivered to a local depot but the cost associated can be charged to the end buisness. The manufacture/distributor can not make a profit on this service so you will normally find it is in the region of £5-£10 a system for disposal. You can normally do a deal at the time of buying any new kit for the old kit to be taken away at the same time. If the distributor is delivering to you direct and not via a courier then theoreticaly there will be no additional cost and then you should get your kit taken away for free.

 

The alternative if you are not going to have kit ready at the same time you can use one of the donation to charity services that are set up around the country. These are better as you know your kit may get reused or recycled and not scraped or landfilled.

 

There are lots of these though you have to check what they will take as some will only take working kit or items above a certain spec. Here are a few but plenty more can be found by serching for computer waste or computer disposal in google.

 

Giving Solutions

Lancashire Computer Waste Services

Intelligent Giving | The independent site for the smarter giver

Computer Aid International Refurbish Recycle Donate

[meastaugh1]

In the case of Buisness to Buisness (B2B) the manufacturer must set a system where by the items can be collected or delivered to a local depot but the cost associated can be charged to the end buisness. The manufacture/distributor can not make a profit on this service so you will normally find it is in the region of £5-£10 a system for disposal.

 

Thanks for the comprehensive reply, I was under the impression that the supplier could pass the cost of transporting the waste to the recycling centre, but not the recycling cost? That shouldn't work out to £5-10 per system, should it?

 

In the end, I sourced the monitors from a reseller who was not only cheaper, but also collected and recycled the old monitors (historic WEEE) FOC.