Disposing of waste electrical and electronic equipment can become quite a task if you are unsure of exactly how and where you are legally allowed to dispose of these items.
Electrical waste is closely monitored now more than ever, in an attempt to reduce the amount of WEEE waste which is sent to landfill. Disposing of your WEEE waste correctly ensures more items are recovered and recycled. Individual components can even be recycled separately!
As we are spending more and more time at home under the current circumstances – a lot of people have turned their spare time into working on clearing out their homes.
Whether you’re clearing the loft of spare TVs or clearing out old computers from your office space in preparation for the return to work, your electrical waste must be disposed of both safely and legally.
Learn more about what WEEE waste is – and how it should be disposed of below:
What is Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)?
WEEE stands for waste electrical and electronic equipment and covers a wide range of items.
- Large household appliances e.g. fridges, cookers, microwaves, washing machines and dishwashers
- Small household appliances e.g. vacuum cleaners, irons, toasters and clocks
- IT and telecommunications equipment – e.g. personal computers, copying equipment, telephones and pocket calculators
- Consumer equipment e.g. radios, televisions, hi-fi equipment, camcorders ad musical instruments
- Lighting equipment e.g. straight and compact fluorescent tubes and high-intensity discharge lamps
- Electrical and electronic tools – e.g. drills, saws and sewing machines, electric lawnmowers
- Toys, leisure and sports equipment e.g. electric trains, games consoles and running machines
- Medical devices e.g. (non-infected) dialysis machines, analysers, medical freezers and cardiology equipment
- Monitoring and control equipment e .g. smoke detectors, thermostats and heating regulators
- Automatic dispensers e.g. hot drinks dispensers and money dispensers
Why Can’t I Place Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in My Household Bin?
WEEE waste is now mostly classed as hazardous waste due to containing persistent organic pollutants. Due to this, you cannot place electronic waste in any of your household council bins.
Most electrical items also include lithium-ion batteries. These can cause explosions or fires when compacted in a bin wagon – which our drivers probably wouldn’t appreciate!
Is WEEE Waste Still Recyclable?
In short, yes!
WEEE waste is largely household appliances like fridges and ovens. These are mostly made up of recyclable materials such as metal and glass.
Items that fall into the category of WEEE waste are more difficult to recycle as it takes a lot of time and care to separate the different materials. However, this is definitely still worth doing!
Where Can I Dispose of WEEE Waste?
At KCM Waste Management, of course!
We are proud to offer a wide range of collection methods for your WEEE waste. Depending on the volume you have to dispose of, you can book anything from a ‘man in a van’ collection service, to skip hire, to a roll-on roll-off.
If you do not have the facilities to load these containers yourself, we can even provide a team to do this for you. Some commercial clients opt for a full site clearance in order to empty out their premises. This can be especially helpful at a time like this as offices aim to be less cluttered and more hygienic!
Are you are needing WEEE waste collecting from your home? We can send our friendly man in a van or deliver a skip directly to your property to fill at your own leisure!
Why Choose KCM for Your WEEE Waste Disposal?
Whether you have household electrical waste or business equipment to dispose of, you do have to follow all legal obligations. With KCM’s help, this doesn’t have to be a hassle!
You can either bring it down to our site on Ginhouse Lane at Rotherham. Or we can collect it from your property for a small haulage fee. The bonus of using a registered waste management company like KCM is that we understand the legal requirements in place for WEEE waste. And we can sort out all the smaller details, so you don’t have to!
We provide basic treatment and storage at our head office recycling site; we will then arrange for anything else to be sent on to our partners for further treatment at depollution facilities.
By choosing a local company like KCM, you won’t ever have to deal with frustrating call centres or extortionate prices. With a team of friendly and knowledgeable staff, we will ensure your waste is dealt with professionally and efficiently.
To discuss your options or for an expert opinion, feel free to call us on 01709 361 144.
We are also available at info@kcmwaste-com.stackstaging.com and on Facebook.