Electrical recycling (WEEE)

Households and businesses in the UK throw away half a million tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) each year. This waste can contain hazardous chemicals such as lead and mercury and it is important that the waste is handled properly and not sent to landfill.

Yorwaste’s dedicated electrical recycling facility was set up to tackle the complex issues arising from the WEEE regulations, which sets collection, recycling and recovery targets for all types of electrical and electronic wastes. The regulations also place a legal responsibility on businesses and local authorities to dispose of WEEE via correctly licensed recyclers, such as Yorwaste.

Our WEEE processing line uses production line techniques to safely dismantle televisions and computer monitors. Valuable recyclable materials are recovered and hazardous components are sent for specialist treatment.

Other types of WEEE such as fridges and freezers, IT equipment and household appliances are sorted and sent to partner recyclers for processing.

Yorwaste collects WEEE from Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) and a trade waste service allows us to deal directly with businesses to meet their specific WEEE needs.