Retailer Responsibilities

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations came into force in 2007. Retailers, or distributors, are responsible for providing a network of free disposal facilities to consumers for B2C WEEE.

You are a retailer under the WEEE regulations if you supply new Electrical or Electronic Equipment (EEE) which is intended for use by private households, Examples of such retailers include:

  • high street retailers
  • mail order sellers
  • wholesalers
  • internet sellers

As a distributor of household EEE you have a responsibility to inform householders of:

  • the potential environmental and health impacts of hazardous substances in WEEE
  • the facilities available for the disposal of WEEE
  • how to contribute to the recycling and reuse of WEEE under the regulations
  • the need for separate WEEE collections

Retailers must also allow WEEE from private households to be able to be returned free of charge, on a like-for-like basis. They must also maintain records of the number of units of WEEE from private households that are returned to them. Records should be kept for 4 years and should be made available if necessary.