WEEE recycling and reuse

WEEE-compliant recycling and reuse of business IT equipment in the UK, with hazardous items handled correctly and full waste paperwork.

In short: WEEE recycling and reuse means sending old IT equipment through the waste hierarchy: refurbishing working kit for reuse first, then dismantling the rest at permitted treatment facilities so metals, plastics and components are recovered and hazardous parts are dealt with safely. It suits any UK organisation disposing of electronics. Costs range from free for reusable kit to around £10 to £60 per item for awkward or hazardous items.

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Business electronics cannot go in a general waste skip. Under the WEEE Regulations and the Duty of Care, retired computers, monitors, printers and phones must go to a registered carrier and on to a facility permitted to treat them. Some of it, including CRT monitors, older flat screens with mercury backlights and lead-acid batteries, is hazardous waste with extra paperwork.

Reuse comes first wherever possible. Equipment that works and has been securely wiped can be refurbished and sold or donated, which keeps it in use for years and can bring money back to you. What cannot be reused is stripped down, with batteries removed, circuit boards sent for precious metal recovery and plastics and metals separated for recycling.

What is included

Assessment of each item for reuse before it is sent for recycling
Refurbishment and resale of working equipment after data destruction
Dismantling at permitted WEEE treatment facilities
Removal and separate handling of lithium and lead-acid batteries
Correct handling of CRT monitors, mercury-backlit screens and toner cartridges
Waste transfer notes for non-hazardous WEEE and consignment notes for hazardous items
Recycling summary showing how the equipment was reused or recovered

Who it is for

Any business, school or public body disposing of electronics
Organisations with environmental or ESG reporting commitments
Clear-outs that include old CRT monitors, printers and copiers
Sites with damaged or swollen batteries that need safe handling
Facilities managers dealing with mixed electrical waste from an office clear-out

How much does it cost?

As a guide, recent working IT often has enough reuse value to be recycled free in the UK. Older or awkward items usually carry a charge, typically £10 to £25 per CRT monitor and £15 to £60 per printer or copier. See our full cost guide.

How it works

Identify the waste

List the equipment and flag any hazardous items such as CRT monitors, UPS batteries or swollen laptop batteries.

Separate reuse from recycling

Working, recent kit is earmarked for refurbishment and the rest for recycling, after data destruction.

Transport under paperwork

Equipment travels with the right waste transfer or consignment notes to the treatment facility.

Treat and report

Items are refurbished or dismantled and recovered, and you receive the paperwork and a recycling summary.

WEEE recycling and reuse: FAQs

Which IT items count as hazardous waste?

The usual ones are CRT monitors and televisions, older flat screens backlit with mercury-containing CCFL tubes, and lead-acid batteries from UPS units. Lithium batteries are not always classified as hazardous but carry a fire risk and must be removed and handled separately. Most modern laptops, desktops, servers and LED-backlit monitors are non-hazardous WEEE, though they still cannot go in general waste.

How do I check a recycler is legitimate?

Ask for their waste carrier registration number and check it on the public register for your nation: the Environment Agency in England, Natural Resources Wales, SEPA in Scotland or NIEA in Northern Ireland. Ask where the equipment will be treated and whether that site holds an environmental permit or exemption for WEEE. A genuine operator will give you this without hesitation.

What does reuse first actually mean?

The waste hierarchy, which underpins UK waste law, ranks preventing waste and reuse above recycling. For IT, that means working equipment should be wiped and refurbished where practical rather than shredded for materials. Reuse saves the energy and raw materials needed to make new devices, and you are expected to apply the hierarchy when transferring waste.

Can you take damaged or swollen batteries?

Yes, but tell us in advance. Swollen or damaged lithium batteries in laptops, phones and tablets can catch fire if crushed or punctured. They need to be isolated, packed in suitable containers and transported separately from the rest of the load. Do not try to remove a swollen battery yourself, and keep the device somewhere cool and away from anything flammable until collection.