How does the WEEE Directive Work in the UK?

The producers are legally and financially responsible for making sure that all separately collected WEEE is treated to minimum standards and that the reuse/recycling and recovery targets are met.

A producer is someone who:

• Manufactures and sells their own products under their own brand.
• Subcontracts the manufacture (or buys in manufactured products) and then sells them under their own brand.
• Imports products into the UK. Distributors and importers placing products on the UK market for the first time are considered producers.

Producers have the option of discharging this responsibility to a third party. They then have to report evidence of recovery to the authorities. This may be done by joining a compliance scheme.

The recovery and recycling elements Directive also cover historic WEEE that was placed on the market before the regulations commenced.  This means that once the date for the introduction of producer responsibility has passed any electrical or electronic product covered by the WEEE Directive that is separately collected will be subject to the recovery and recycling targets. It does not matter how old the product is or where it was made.