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Frequently asked questions 1. What does EEE / WEEE stand for? 2. How is WEEE related to the RoHS Directive? 3. Who is a Producer, what does it mean? 4. What types of products are affected? 5. Are component parts of electrical equipment considered to be EEE? 6. What are the requirements for WEEE marking and what do they mean? 7. Which compliance scheme have you joined? 8. What is RS' Producer Registration Number? 9. How can I dispose of WEEE? If the answer to your WEEE question is not in our FAQs, please click here to ask our technical team. 1. What does EEE / WEEE stand for? EEE is Electrical and Electronic Equipment "equipment dependent on electric currents or electromagnetic field in order to work properly and equipment for the generation, transfer and measurement of such currents and fields falling under the categories set out in schedule 1 in the UK regulations" WEEE is Waste EEE 2. How is WEEE related to the RoHS Directive? The RoHS Directive takes its scope from the WEEE Directive and 8 out of the 10 WEEE categories are within the scope of RoHS. In simple terms RoHS concerns the restriction of certain hazardous substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment within its scope and WEEE concerns the end of life recycle and treatment. 3. Who is a Producer, what does it mean? You are a producer under the WEEE Regulations if the EEE you place on the UK market falls within the scope of the WEEE Regulations and you meet one or more of these criteria:
This means RS will have obligations for RS branded and Iso-Tech EEE we place on the market. The Environment Agency has made an initial list of registered producers available. If you would like to view the list please click here. 4. What types of products are affected? Products affected fall within the 10 categories and 3 sub-categories as specified in the UK Regulations.
5. Are component parts of electrical equipment considered to be EEE? Components cover the range of discrete items that form part of a finished product and thus enable it to work properly, for example transistors, capacitors, diodes or internal wiring. Sub-assemblies are packages of components assembled into discrete units, such as display panels or populated circuit boards. Components and sub-assemblies supplied for further manufacture or assembly are not finished products and are therefore not considered to be EEE in their own right. 6. What are the requirements for WEEE marking and what do they mean? From the 1st April 2007 producers need to label all EEE with the crossed out wheeled bin symbol in a visible, legible and indelible form. In exceptional cases because of the size or function of the product the symbol must be printed on the packaging, the instructions for use and the accompanying warranty. Below the wheeled bin is a black bar, this is a date mark and identifies the product as being produced after 13th of August 2005. A producer of EEE must also mark it in such a manner that allows the producer brand to be identified. EEE produced before the 13th of August 2005 might have the symbol but not the date mark or the product might not carry any symbol at all other than the producer brand, this is classed as historic WEEE. The purpose of the wheeled bin symbol is to help minimise the disposal of WEEE with unsorted household (municipal) waste and to encourage greater recycling and recovery. 7. Which compliance scheme have you joined? RS is now working in partnership with WeeeCare Compliance Scheme which is operated by WasteCare. WasteCare has national coverage and will collect, recycle or dispose of, in an environmentally sound way, our obligated WEEE. RS chose the WeeeCare scheme because of the proven track record of the operators, who have been a national waste management company for 25 years and have 10 years experience in recycling WEEE. WasteCare are authorised waste carriers and operate their own fleet of WEEE collection vehicles with carriage systems to prevent damage to equipment in order to promote re-use. National coverage is supported by 9 licensed waste transfer stations and a treatment and recycling facility in Leeds which has a capacity of 25,000 tonnes of WEEE per year. WasteCare are also in the process of implementing a further treatment and recycling facility (to cope with the expected increase in demand) in Widnes - this facility will have the capacity in excess of 50,000 tonnes of WEEE per year. 8. What is RS' Producer Registration Number? Our Environmental Agency Producer Registration Number is WEE/GF0002ZR. 9. How can I dispose of WEEE? It is the responsibility of the user to dispose of WEEE in an environmentally friendly way. This can be done at a civil amenity site, an approved treatment facility or through a relevant compliance scheme. To view the service options RS offer for the recovery of WEEE please click here. |
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