The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive or WEEE has been in place for a while. In the past the focus was on controlling waste from refrigerators and freezers, but in recent times the focus has shifted to IT waste. There is a really good reason for this.
IT waste has started to become a major concern as more is discovered about how harmful it is. It is becoming very clear that throwing IT waste in a landfill is irresponsible, both because of the harm that can be done to the environment (and therefore those of us living in it) and because it is a waste of precious resources that will quickly run out if we don’t recycle and reuse them.
A computer, for example, contains a long list of toxins. These toxins leak into the ground when a computer is put in a landfill and this contamination can make its way into ground water and eventually into drinking water.
That is why every business has to take the responsibility for properly disposing of their IT waste. You can’t afford to be negligent. You have to do your part to keep hazardous waste out of the landfills through proper disposal or recycling. It is your job as a business owner to do your part and to ensure that you are not contributing to the health hazards caused by electronic waste.
The WEEE directive has been put in place to ensure that e-waste is properly dealt with by businesses. It gives specific guidelines on what your responsibilities are as a business, and often requires proof of compliance. There are heavy penalties associated with falling foul of WEEE’s regulations.
An easy way to ensure that your business is fully WEEE compliant is to use an e-waste recycling service that deals with your IT and electrical equipment appropriately and provides you with the paperwork to prove you have complied with regulations. Take a look around RecyclingYourIT.co.uk to find out more about how we can help your business deal with e-waste.