Equipment distributors and retailers - what you must do

You are a ‘distributor’ if you sell electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) to end users. This is irrespective of how it is sold. It applies to retailers and wholesalers, as well as mail order and internet sales.

If you manufacture, re-brand or import EEE, you must also comply with your obligations as a producer.

Providing information

You must provide your customers with information in writing on:

• the environmental impacts of the substances in EEE and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
• the reasons for separating WEEE from other waste
• the meaning of the crossed out wheeled bin symbol
• how they can safely dispose of WEEE for proper treatment and recycling free of charge.

You must keep evidence for four years that you have provided this information. You do not need to keep records of individual cases.

You must display information to customers on the benefits of take-back schemes. You could use posters or leaflets to provide this information.

If asked you must provide your business customers with:

• Contact information for the EEE producer. The producer’s compliance scheme is responsible for the end-of-life handling of EEE.
• Records that will help producers to supply their producer compliance scheme with accurate information, for example numbers of sales of EEE to non-household users.

As a distributor you have no obligation to take back WEEE from business users

You must set up a system that your household customers can use to dispose of WEEE free of charge. You must clearly explain this system to your customers.

There are two types of take-back system, and you must provide at least one of them. They are:

• distributor take-back scheme
• in-store take-back scheme.

You must keep evidence that you provide one of these schemes for four years.

You may wish to offer a ‘collection on delivery’ scheme as a service to your customers. Old bulky goods can be collected when new replacement goods are delivered. However, you cannot offer this service to your customers as a replacement for your in-store take back obligations.

In store take-back only applies to household WEEE.

In this scheme you accept a waste item from customers in-store when selling them an equivalent new item. Items may be different products, but must perform the same function. Customers should be allowed at least one month after sale to return their old item.

If you choose to offer this system to your customers you must:

• accept all types of EEE that you sell
• record the number and category of items you receive, and keep these records for four years
• check with your environmental regulator if you require a waste management licence or a registered exemption for storing the WEEE.

You must only use waste carriers that are registered with your environmental regulator. See our guidance on waste carriers, brokers and dealers.

This scheme works through a network of designated collection facilities (DCFs). Consumers can dispose of WEEE at these facilities free of charge. You must inform customers how and where they can do this. The locations of these facilities should be convenient for your customers.

The government has appointed a private company to operate this scheme. To use it you must join and pay membership fees. This will support a national network of DCFs.

You do not need to use a take-back system if you are a distributor selling second-hand or reconditioned EEE. This includes charities or shops selling EEE that has been refurbished by the voluntary and social enterprise sector.

If you are a distance seller for example if you sell via mail order or the internet, you must still provide customers with a free take-back system. You could do this by:

• joining the distributor take-back scheme
• collecting WEEE from customers and delivering it to a WEEE collection point free of charge
• if you operate retail outlets, enabling customers to use a store take-back scheme.

You must inform customers of how they can dispose of their WEEE.

If you are a distributor based in Northern Ireland and who delivers EEE to a household customer in the Republic of Ireland you should follow the protocol for cross-border retail activity.

The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) is the regulatory body that ensures that distributors of EEE meet their obligations in helping household users dispose of WEEE.

In this guideline: