Amgen Cymru - Environmental

Waste Electric and Electrical Equipment - WEEE
This web page has been developed to inform waste producers in the Rhondda Cynon Taff area of changes to the rules governing the disposal of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). As of 01.01.07 items such as TV's, Computer Monitors even toaster are not permitted for disposal with general household waste. Public facilities for the separate disposal and recycling of these items are provided at Community Recycling Facilities throughout RCT.
Background Information Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) play an ever increasing role in our daily lives. In an average year, the UK throws away a million tonnes of electrical waste. Electrical and electronic equipment are beneficial when they are working. When they stop working and are subsequently thrown away, they affect the environment. For example, did you know that some WEEE contains hazardous waste substances and parts? E.g. mercury in switches, lead in solder and cadmium in batteries. WEEE is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the UK. The recycling rate however is extremely low. In 2003, the European Union (EU) adopted the WEEE Directive in a bid to deal with the end of life problems for electrical and electronic equipment and how to manage it at a better scale. The directive covers household and non-household WEEE (supplied to users such as local authorities, government agencies and hospitals). Directive criteria have been set for the collection, treatment, recycling and recovery of WEEE. Aims of the Directive The directive has several aims in order to reduce the amount of WEEE being disposed of in landfills. To do this, it promotes separate collection, treatment and recycling. The aims are as follows: Electronic equipment will be marked with a crossed out wheeled bin symbol (see below). Targets have been set for the amount of household WEEE that can be collected separately The UK is to establish and maintain a register of EEE producers Distributors and retailers are responsible for taking back their product free of charge to customers All WEEE that has been collected separately must be treated Recycling and recovery targets have been introduced for various categories of WEEE
Community Recycling Centres Community Recycling Centres (CRC) has been established to help with the ever increasing need to recycle. Any household owner can bring their unwanted items to the CRC where it is then sorted into separate containers ready for recycling. Some CRC sites will become Designated Collection Facilities (DCF’s) where up to five categories of WEEE collected. These are:- A - Large household items containing ozone-depleting substances B - Large household items not containing ozone-depleting substances C - Televisions and monitors D - Fluorescent tubes E - All other WEEE	Waste Electrical Items bearing this symbol must not be disposed of with general household waste.
Designated Collection Facilities may not accept all categories of WEEE because of the lack of space at the facility. In these cases, only a few categories may be used. The main aim of DCF’s is to prevent mixing WEEE with other waste or its contamination by other material. What happens to WEEE when it leaves the DCF? As mentioned above, WEEE contains hazardous waste substances and parts. The WEEE is transported to a bulking centre where it’s stripped completely into its separate components. Some of the components can be treated, re-used or recycled for another piece of equipment, therefore not endangering the environment. In the Rhondda Cynon Taff area, there are four CRC sites segregating three categories of WEEE (ozone depleting, TV and Monitor and fluorescent tubes). To fine out more information regarding our CRC site, please see our FACILITIES section).

Teaching school children at our Education Centre

Teaching future generations about waste.

We are very proud of our education centre, which teaches local school children about what we do and environmental issues such as waste management. Click here to learn more.