The term 'producers' includes manufacturers, sellers and resellers of own-brand equipment, and importers and exporters of electrical and electronic equipment into the UK.
Producers’ obligations are to:
- Register as a producer / importer putting electrical and electronic equipment within the scope of the WEEE Directive onto the market. It will be an offence not to register. The registration should be with the National Clearing House (NCH), acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. Producers must be registered by 13 August 2005. Contact your Environmental Agency for further information on how to register.
- Report – to the NCH, 2004 sales data of electrical and electronic products and their weight put onto the market in the UK and subsequently on an annual basis, in order for your market shares to be calculated. A standard form will be provided. The first data report, covering 2004, should be provided between January 2005 - 12 August 2005 for the initial 13 August 2005 – 31 December 2006 compliance period and thereafter by 31 January for each calendar year compliance period to follow.
- Indicate if you propose to comply independently or via some collective arrangement, e.g. a compliance scheme.
- Finance the costs of collection, treatment, recovery and environmentally sound disposal of WEEE allocated to you according to your market shares by the NCH from 13 August 2005. A compliance scheme can discharge these obligations on behalf of its members.
- Report evidence (according to a format to be advised by the Government) to the NCH to show the WEEE allocated to you is treated at authorised treatment facilities (ATFs) to the required treatment standards.
- Report evidence (according to a format to be advised by the Government) to show that the target percentages of recovery and recycling / reuse of the WEEE allocated to you by the NCH have been carried out. This evidence should be sent to the NCH.
- Business sales: if you are supplying new equipment to business users from 13 August 2005 you will need to finance the treatment, recovery and disposal of the waste arising from these products unless you make alternative arrangements with the business users.
- If you have supplied equipment to business users prior to 13 August 2005 you have the responsibility for this equipment if it is discarded at the time you supply new like for like equipment. (Whether or not you supplied this original equipment)
- If there is no replacement purchase, the business user is responsible for financing the treatment and recovery of the equipment purchased prior to 13 August 2005 when they discard it; and the party responsible for the financing of WEEE associated with business-to-business sales shall report evidence to show its collection, treatment and recovery according to the Directive’s requirements, including meeting the recovery and recycling / reuse targets. This evidence should be reported to the NCH (which will provide it to the relevant Agency as necessary).
- Eg. If you sell, 100 new PCs to a business customer, you will have the responsibility for collecting, treating and recycling up to 100 old PCs from them if requested (Whether or not you supplied this original equipment). If the business is not replacing the old equipment then they become responsible for disposal costs, and for reporting evidence of treatment.
- Ensure marking of equipment that you place onto the UK market and to provide certain information to facilitate the treatment and recovery of WEEE.
Please view the following articles for further information:
Registration of Producers and Compliance Schemes
Producer Obligations for the financing of WEEE
Producer Obligations for the Reporting of WEEE
Producer Information and Marking Obligations
Producers Eco-Design
The Role of a National Clearing House (NCH)
WEEE Scope – The Product Categories Covered by the WEEE Directive
WEEE Directive’s recovery and reuse / recycling targets.
Retailers and Distributors
Retailers and Distributors – The Take-Back Obligation
Retailers and Distributors – Compliance Scheme
Retailers and Distributors - Provision of information to consumers
The Collection and Storage of WEEE