Epson and the WEEE Directive
WEEE Take Back Scheme Certificate
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment regulations place a range of legal obligations on producers of electrical and electronic equipment, including the collection and recycling of equipment at the end of its useful life.
The aims of the directive are to:
Reduce the amount of WEEE sent to landfill
Promote the separate collection, treatment & recycling of WEEE
Ensure the safe treatment and disposal of hazardous components
Encourage producers to make products easier to recycle.
The regulations came into force on 2nd January 2007, and in phases up to July 2007 producers had to join a compliance scheme, mark electrical and electronic equipment and take full responsibility for treating and recycling household WEEE.
Businesses obligated by the WEEE regulations include:
Manufacturers of EEE selling under their own brand
Brand owners of EEE manufactured by others
Importers of EEE.
How is Epson involved?
As a producer of IT & Telecoms Equipment and Consumer Equipment we are legally bound by the directive. At Epson, we go a step further by actively supporting its aims, including joining several compliance schemes to ensure our responsibilities are fully met: These are the:
Household products - DHL B2C WEEE compliance scheme
Non household products - DHL B2B WEEE compliance scheme
'Buy Epson' Internet Sales Distributor Take Back Scheme (managed by Valpac).
Epson’s WEEE registration number: WEE/EK0052TQ
Household Products (Consumer products)
To ensure the correct disposal of your household WEEE return it to your local civic amenity site. Contact your local authority for details or visit www.recycle-more.co.uk
When purchasing new products speak to your retailer regarding disposal of WEEE. From the civic amenity site Epson’s compliance scheme will ensure that the product is collected, treated and recycled in such a way that all the directive’s terms are met.
Non Household Products (Business products)
For products generally used in the office environment Epson is working with our compliance scheme to devise the most appropriate system for collecting WEEE from businesses. In this category there are two different processes:
Equipment purchased after August 2005 (recognisable by the ‘wheelie bin’ logo)
Epson will arrange safe disposal of the product at the end of its life. Currently, this service is provided via ERP, so please contact them on 0845 685 2424 or email: UKoperations@erp-recycling.org.
So that we can arrange collection you will be asked to provide a few details:
Serial number of newly purchased product
Product to be collected
Serial number of product to be collected
Approx weight of product to be be collected.
Equipment purchased before August 2005 doesn't have a ‘wheelie bin’ logo.
If you have bought an Epson product to replace equipment that pre-dates August 2005, Epson will handle the safe disposal of the old equipment - regardless of brand.
If your product has reached the end of its life but is not being replaced you are responsible for disposal through normal channels.
‘Buy Epson’ Online Sales
If you intend to buy or have purchased equipment from our online store your old equipment can be returned to your local civic amenity site.
Part of the cost of our membership of the ‘Distributor Take Back Scheme’ has been allocated to providing extra facilities at selected civic amenity sites to cope with the separate collection, treatment and recycling of WEEE. Our compliance scheme will then transport that WEEE to authorised treatment facilities ensuring correct recycling of the product.
Find your nearest civic amenity site by visiting www.recycle-more.co.uk
Other useful links
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy
The Environment Agency: www.environment-agency.gov.uk