1. Don’t (put) WEEE in your skip
Dr Ann Galbraith
SEPS, University of Glasgow

2. heavy metals (e.g. mercury, lead, cadmium and chromium)
Why should we worry?
EEE contains:
heavy metals (e.g. mercury, lead, cadmium and chromium)
halogenated substances (e.g. CFCs,PCBs and PVC
brominated flame retardants
asbestos
arsenic
Shortage of landfill & raw materials

3. Why be concerned about these materials?
Lead – neurotoxin, harms kidneys, reproductive system & mental development
Mercury – damages brain, kidneys & foetal development
Chromium – harms liver, kidneys, ^ lung cancer, asthma
Brominated flame retardants – damage to thyroid and foetal development
PVC – incineration produces highly toxic dioxins.

4. An example of harmful materials in a monitor
Lead
Screen frit 70%
Glass funnel 25%
Glass panel 2.5%
Circuit boards
PVC/Br flame retardants
Plastic casing
Mercury

5. Why be concerned about these materials?
> 90 per cent of WEEE was landfilled, incinerated or recovered without any pretreatment,
This allowed the risk of significant pollution entering the environment to which we are exposed.

6. Estimate of 2m tonnes pa in UK growing at 4% pa
How much WEEE?
Estimate of 2m tonnes pa in UK growing at 4% pa
IBLS PAT register > 17,000 items.
During a 2 years period they disposed of ~ 2000 items that would now be WEEE.
Extrapolating from that gives an estimate of about 100,000 items of WEEE in the University

7. Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2006
Legislation
Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2006

8. WEEE Regs. 2006
Producers responsible for financing collection, treatment & environmentally sound disposal (e.g. recovery and recycling) of WEEE (with some exceptions)
From 1 July 2007 also places some responsibilities for this on business end users such as the University

9. Photograph of Manneqin Pis
What is WEEE?
Photograph of Manneqin Pis

10. WEEE or Wii?

11. WEEE - scope
The Regulations apply to equipment that uses electricity as its main power source.
‘.. equipment which is dependent on electric currents or electromagnetic fields in order to work properly ..’
‘.. equipment for generation, transfer and measurement of such currents and fields ..’

12. Only those items that fit these criteria and:
WEEE - scope
Only those items that fit these criteria and:
are designed for use with a voltage not exceeding
1000 volts AC
1,500 volts DC
are listed in Schedule 1 of the Regulations

13. Household goods (cookers, toasters etc.)
WEEE - scope
Relevant examples:
Household goods (cookers, toasters etc.)
IT and telecommunications (computer monitors, keyboards, printers etc.)
Consumer equipment (TVs, radios, video cameras etc.)
Lighting equipment (e.g. florescent lamps)
Electrical and electronic tools (lab equipment, sewing machine etc.)

14. Medical devices (radiotherapy/cardiology equipment)
WEEE - scope
Toys, leisure & sports (treadmills and rowing machines –Wii and DS lite!)
Medical devices (radiotherapy/cardiology equipment)
Monitoring equipment (smoke detectors, thermostats)
Automatic dispensers (dispensers for drinks, money etc)

15. Some specific exemptions but majority unlikely to apply to University.
WEEE - exemptions
Some specific exemptions but majority unlikely to apply to University.
Exemptions that may be relevant cover:
Stationary industrial tools
Implanted or infected medical products
Filament light bulbs and household luminaries

16. WEEE – who is the Producer?
Any person who:
Manufactures and sells his own brand
Re-sells under his own brand
Imports EEE into the UK
Suppliers (other than if they are importers) have no legal responsibility for WEEE from businesses.

17. WEEE – producer compliance schemes
DTI requires all producers to be registered with a WEEE Compliance Scheme. These are listed on SEPA web site
Compliance Schemes carry out physical recovery/recycling activities on behalf of producers by sending WEEE to Approved Authorised Treatment Facilities (AATFs) or to Authorised Exporters (AEs).
Producer responsibility for financing collection and recycling began on 1st July 2007.

18. WEEE - marking of equipment
Producers also have other responsibilities such as marking equipment with the date of manufacture and the crossed out wheeled bin symbol

19. WEEE - business end-users
Universities are considered to be
business ‘end users’ and as such from
1 July 2007 departments are responsible for
ensuring recovery and recycling
financing of some WEEE

20. WEEE – who is financially responsible (business) ?
For EEE placed on the market before 13 Aug 2005 (‘historical WEEE’)
If there is a ‘like for like’ replacement of the equipment the producer is responsible
If there is no ‘like for like’ replacement the institutional end user is responsible for disposal costs

21. WEEE – who is financially responsible (business) ?
EEE placed on the market after 13 Aug 2005
The producer is responsible, unless otherwise agreed with the institution at the time of purchase.

22. WEEE – who is financially responsible ?

23. WEEE - definitions
‘Placed on the market’
DTI guidance suggests that this is the date on which the product was first sold.
‘Like for like’
DTI guidance states that equipment need not be identical. Can be equipment that fulfils the same function, taking account of technological developments and improvements in functionality

24. WEEE - practical considerations 1
Considerations when purchasing EEE
Negotiate a different arrangement ????
Get Producer Registration Number from supplier
Keep track of your EEE
Know when it was purchased
Know the Producer & the Compliance Scheme

25. WEEE - practical considerations 2
Some WEEE may be Special (hazardous) Waste
e.g. fridges, TVs, computer monitors
Duty of Care applies to WEEE be particularly vigilant during refurbs & clearouts
Always keep WEEE separate
Ensure legal disposal process
Keep Transfer Notes/Consignment Notes

27. WEEE - practical considerations 3
How do I actually get rid of my WEEE?
Return to a Producer/their Compliance Scheme
Will they uplift or do you need to deliver?
For all high value, scientific AV and computing equipment see
Disposal of non-IT/AV & scientific through E&B (including Special Waste WEEE)

28. What about charitable donations?
Items exported or designated for re-use must arrive in working order
Photo of van full of unpackaged TVs and monitors

29. What about charitable donations?
Concerns over information etc on computers
FoI
Data Protection
Shred the hard disk, no longer in working order
Can’t be exported
Charity must also be an AATF

30. What about charitable donations?
Recent estimate 100,000 computers/ month entering Lagos, some from UK
Audit of containers passing though Rotterdam 50-90% of items not working (~1000 tonnes)

31. …. and if we get it wrong?
Photo of by on streets of Karachi surrounded by computer mice that he is removing contacts from

32. Photograph of man using family cooking pots to recover lead
… and if we get it wrong?
Photograph of man using family cooking pots to recover lead

33. WEEE - further information
Contact SEPS
Guide for Universities
DTI Guidance

34. WEEE - further information
SEPA web site
Duty of Care & classification of waste see SEPS web site