Recycling is now a part of everyday life, at home and in the office. It’s not just small items such as plastic bottles and waste paper which can be recycled – in fact, it’s just as important to responsibly dispose of large electronic items too. As businesses need to consistently try and reduce environmental impact, taking care of waste electronics plays a huge part in environmental responsibility.

Electronic Equipment: WEEE

All electronic equipment – anything with a plug – should not be discarded along with general waste. This is because many of the components can be recycled, and certain electronics such as refrigerators can be hazardous.

All British organisations should be aware of the current legislation regarding waste and recycling, including:

  • Environmental Protection Act
  • Landfill Directive
  • Hazardous Waste Regulations
  • WEEE Directive

WEEE is short for Waste Electricals and Electrical Equipment and covers categories such as household appliances, IT equipment and computers and lighting. Products that fall into this category need to be sent to a specialist WEEE treatment facility to be disassembled and recycled.

IT Equipment Disposal

Electronics are made up of a wide range of materials, often including glass, metal, plastic and ceramic. It’s important that they are disposed of correctly, especially because some electronics contain dangerous substances.

If you need to throw away old computers and other office electronics such as printers or photocopiers, you need to hire a specialist WEEE disposal and recycling service. Many waste management providers also offer a WEEE recycling service so bulky equipment and high volumes can be managed effectively. An IT disposal company will usually collect waste electronics from your business premises, and deliver it to a WEEE treatment centre on your behalf.

Data Destruction

When recycling computers and hard drives, businesses also need to consider the implications of the Data Protection Act (And GDPR from 2018). Before handing over any electrical equipment to be disposed of, you must delete any sensitive data. To comply with both the WEEE Directive and the Data Protection Act, Pink Chalk offers a full data destruction and IT disposal service, making sure no data can be stolen and as much as possible is recycled.

Recycling electronics, especially large IT equipment, can be challenging. If you require a one-stop service then get in touch with our IT disposal team.