What is the WEEE Directive?

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive) is a legal action by the EU that became European Law in 2003. The law sets targets for the collection, recovery and recycling of every type of electrical item in the UK. There are also restrictions as to what new electronic equipment on the market can be made from.

All electrical items that have been made after August 13th 2005, that fall under the legislation, are specifically marked to show that they must be collected separately from general waste.

The WEEE Symbol

The WEEE symbol consists of a wheelie bin that’s been crossed out. Goods that have been placed on the market after 2005 also feature a thick black line under the wheelie bin, to signify that they were manufactured after the first directive came into force.

Any goods that feature the original logo, without the black line, were manufactured between 2002 and 2005, and a treated as “historic WEEE”.

What products are covered by the WEEE directive?

The following products are all covered by the WEEE directive:

• Small household appliances
• Large household appliances
• IT and telecommunication equipment
• Electronic entertainment equipment
• Lighting
• Electronic tools
• Toys and sports equipment
• Mechanical appliances
• Surveillance and control instruments
• Automatic distribution equipment

If you have any questions about the type of goods that we recycle here at Maxilead, contact us or visit our ‘sell your metal’ page.