WEEE Directive

Roanmore

Hi,

I went to buy a microwave in my local hardware shop today and before I paid for it I said I had the old one in the car, where do I put it? She said that they no longer accept white goods back under €100 and that I would have to bring it to the local recycling centre. I said that is that not against the WEEE directive and she said it was changed. Is this correct? I have not heard this.

I went to Dunnes Stores and they took the old one off me without batting an eyelid.

calex71

I bet they where still charging the fee for product recycling on items under 100 :mad:
Edit : checked WEEE info and as i suspected made no mention of this not having to take back stuff under 100.

MunsterCycling

Bring it back in and dump it on the sales desk then walk out, it is a breach of the directive to avoid their obligations.

the groutch

if you were taking the new microwave with you there and then, you were perfectly within your rights to give them the old one

Take-Back Obligation

Distributors, i.e. Retailers, when supplying a new product, must accept back waste electrical and electronic equipment from private households free of charge on a one-to-one basis as long as the waste electrical and electronic equipment is of equivalent type or has fulfilled the same function as the supplied equipment, other than contaminated waste electrical and electronic equipment that presents a health and safety risk unless such contamination is on account of a distributor's liability.

brian_rbk

Retailers can arrange for a third party to take back WEEE ...

Third Party Take-Back

Distributors, i.e. Retailers of EEE, with the agreement of the appropriate Local Authorities, may make alternative arrangements for ensuring that the obligations above are discharged on their behalf by:

1. nominated distributor
2. group of distributors or, as appropriate
3. a third party acting on their behalf

There is a requirement for a notice at the entrance of retail premises operating such approved alternative take-back systems.

from WEEE Ireland : Retailers

gerrycollins

Was it a big chain hardware store?

Some shop genuninely are not registered to take back the items. Its a cop out from them as the charge is only on average €100 depending on council area.

its a bit odd that they put a price on a return as a waste disposal company will remove it for them for free too so they would have no expense after you leave the shop only thier once off registeration

Slice

If you're in Dublin there's a whole heap of info on this on http://www.dublinwaste.ie