Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE): evidence and national protocols guidance
Updated 22 April 2024
© Crown copyright 2024
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected].
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/weee-evidence-and-national-protocols-guidance/waste-electrical-and-electronic-equipment-weee-evidence-and-national-protocols-guidance
1. What WEEE evidence is
WEEE evidence is proof of reuse or treatment by an approved authorised treatment facility (AATF) or export of whole appliance by an approved exporter (AE).
AATFs and AEs issue evidence in the form of evidence notes on WEEE Online.
2. When AATFs and AEs can issue evidence
An AATF can only issue evidence if all of the following apply:
- the WEEE has become waste in the UK
- you are the first AATF to receive WEEE for treatment or repair and refurbishment
- you received the WEEE from, or on behalf of, a producer compliance scheme (PCS)
An AE can issue evidence on UK WEEE exported as a whole appliance for reuse overseas.
3. The WEEE AATFs and AEs can issue evidence on
Evidence can be issued on:
- household WEEE, also known as business to consumer (B2C), when it is separately collected for a PCS by a designated collection facility (DCF), a distributor, or under a system set up to accept WEEE from final holders
- non-household WEEE, also known as business to business (B2B), when it is collected by a PCS for non-household members, or by the non-household producer who, with agreement from their PCS, collect WEEE direct from customers
Household and non-household WEEE collected in these ways is ‘obligated WEEE’.
See the guidance on how to correctly identify B2C and B2B EEE and WEEE.
You cannot issue evidence on ‘non-obligated WEEE’. This is WEEE received by an AATF or AE that is not from, or on behalf of, a PCS.
3.1 When AATFs can issue evidence on household WEEE
You can only issue evidence notes on household WEEE you receive at your AATF for treatment in these circumstances:
- WEEE from a distributor’s premises via a collection system set up by, or on behalf of, a PCS. Find out when retailers and distributors must take back electrical waste in store.
- WEEE from a DCF cleared by, or on behalf of, a PCS.
- Household WEEE collected by a local authority (LA) as part of its bulky waste collection service taken to a DCF and cleared by, or on behalf of, a PCS.
- Household EEE returned to a manufacturer or distributor under their returns policy. They check the item (or someone checks it on their behalf) and it is not suitable for reuse (even after repair) and they decide to discard it. The EEE becomes WEEE at this point. The retailer passes the waste to a collection system set up by, or on behalf of, a PCS.
- Household WEEE is collected by a manufacturer or distributor who is supplying a new item. It is described as waste with no intention to assess or reuse, and collected by, or on behalf of, a PCS.
You must not issue evidence notes in these circumstances:
- You receive or collect returned EEE from a distributor or other holder and decide some of it is not suitable for reuse and is therefore WEEE. You can arrange for a PCS to clear the WEEE and deliver it to another AATF and they can issue evidence notes on that WEEE as the first receiving AATF.
- You receive or collect household EEE that has been donated to a charity or community reuse organisation for reuse, even if it does not work. If the item is then assessed and classed as waste the final holder can arrange for a PCS to clear the WEEE and deliver it to an AATF, for evidence to be issued.
3.2 When AATFs can issue evidence on donated WEEE
The AATF can only issue evidence notes on items donated to charity or organisations promoting reuse in these circumstances:
- A charity shop receives a donation of household EEE. The donated EEE was given for reuse but after assessment the charity shop decides to discard it. You receive the WEEE through a collection system set up by, or on behalf of, a PCS.
- You are a charity or social organisation registered as an AATF. You seek items of WEEE from householders on behalf of a PCS. The items need repair and refurbishment before being sold as EEE.
3.3 When AATFs can issue evidence on dual use WEEE
Find out how to identify dual use EEE and WEEE in the guidance How to correctly identify B2C and B2B EEE and WEEE.
You can only issue evidence notes on dual use WEEE if you received it for treatment through a collection system set up by, or on behalf of, a PCS.
When an asset or lease management company removes electrical items from a client location with the primary aim of repair and direct reuse, we will generally consider these items to be EEE until they have been assessed. Any items classed as WEEE at the assessment point can enter a system set up by a PCS and the receiving AATF can issue evidence.
You must not issue evidence notes in these circumstances:
-
When a business sells unwanted equipment as used EEE. It is not WEEE – it has not entered a WEEE collection system set up by a PCS.
-
When you receive WEEE from anyone other than a collection system set up by, or on behalf of, a PCS. For example where it takes in WEEE without a PCS arrangement in place.
3.4 When an AATF has registered DCFs
If you have registered DCFs you can only issue evidence notes on WEEE that has entered those DCFs as waste. That WEEE must have been transferred to the AATF via a collection system set up by, or on behalf of, a PCS. You must not issue evidence notes on EEE received at your DCF if they assessed it and decided it is fit for reuse after repair. The EEE never became WEEE.
4. Who accepts evidence notes
These are accepted by the PCS. If evidence is issued to the producer balancing system (PBS), the PBS accepts it before transferring it to one or more PCSs.
5. WEEE Online
This is a secure website where you can create, submit and approve evidence notes.
You need to be approved by your environmental regulator to issue and manage evidence notes in a compliance period. Once approved, the WEEE Online service will be updated with this information. Existing users of the service will then be able to issue and manage evidence notes. New users will need to create a user account which can be done from log-in page on WEEE Online.
6. Complete the evidence note
There are two types of evidence note on WEEE Online, one for household WEEE and one for non-household WEEE. This is the ‘obligation type’.
Select ‘create new evidence note’.
You must provide:
- the dates between which the WEEE was received for treatment
- the recipient PCS (or the Producer compliance scheme Balancing System, PBS)
- the obligation type (household or non-household)
- whether actual weights are being submitted or if not, which protocol was used
- tonnes of WEEE the evidence note is for – you need to break this down by WEEE category and record it to the nearest kilogram - to do so, enter the weight to 3 decimal places (1kg = 0.001 tonnes) of the WEEE received
- the amount in tonnes to the nearest kilogram, (1kg = 0.001 tonnes), of how much of it (if any) was reused as a whole appliance
When you submit the evidence note (or save it as a draft) it will be given a unique Reference ID number.
The evidence note will also populate your facility details, your facility operator details and the recipient details, all including addresses where appropriate.
After you submit the evidence note it will then appear in the recipients WEEE Online evidence pages.
7. Approve evidence note
Only the PCS named on an evidence note can approve it.
To view an evidence note, log into WEEE Online. New notes will show in your account.
If the details on the note are correct, select ‘approve’.
If not, return the note to the AATF or AE for correction. You can provide a reason.
If you receive a note by mistake, or it is not required for any reason, reject it. You can also provide a reason.
8. AATFs: recovery and recycling targets
You must prove you achieve the recovery and recycling targets listed in Part 2, paragraph 24, of Schedule 11 of the regulations.
Recovery and recycling targets for categories of WEEE
| Category | Description | Recovery | Recycling |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Large household appliances | 85% | 80% |
| 2 | Small household appliances | 75% | 55% |
| 3 | IT and telecommunications equipment | 80% | 70% |
| 4 | Consumer equipment | 80% | 70% |
| 5 | Lighting equipment | 75% | 55% |
| 6 | Electrical and electronic tools (with the exception of large-scale stationary industrial tools) | 75% | 55% |
| 7 | Toys, leisure and sports equipment | 75% | 55% |
| 8 | Medical devices (with the exception of all implanted and infected products) | 75% | 55% |
| 9 | Monitoring and control instruments | 75% | 55% |
| 10 | Automatic dispensers | 85% | 80% |
| 11 | Display screens | 80% | 70% |
| 12 | Cooling appliances | 85% | 80% |
| 13 | Gas discharge lamps and LED light sources | no target | 80% |
| 14 | Photovoltaic panels | 80% | 70% |
To do this you will need to keep site input and output records of WEEE or WEEE derived materials that are:
- received
- sent to a third party site for recovery and recycling
Where materials are sent to a third party you must maintain an audit trail which demonstrates that they are achieving the recovery and recycling targets.
The evidence needed to demonstrate that the targets have been met may vary depending on the WEEE and treatment activity.
For example, with some mixed WEEE waste streams, it may be enough to assume all the metal content is recycled.
The acceptable audit process is based on a mass balance of inputs and outputs from AATF sites. If you can show you have met the targets in another way that better suits you, that is acceptable.
Meeting the targets is a condition of AATF approval and if you cannot show you are meeting the targets, your AATF approval may be suspended.
Recovery and recycling targets: example using a mass balance
The AATFs input material is 100 tonnes SMW.
The table shows the outputs:
| Output material | Tonnes | % input | Amount recycled % | Amount recycled tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metal | 70 | 70 | 100 | 70 |
| Glass | 12.5 | 12.5 | 100 | 12.5 |
| Plastic | 10 | 10 | 50 | 5 |
| Other | 5 | 5 | 80 | 4 |
| Non-recyclable | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 100 | 100 | - | 91.5 |
In this example 100 tonnes of SMW was treated, producing materials for reprocessing. This formula calculates whether the recovery targets for the categories in the SMW are met:
- total amount recycled (tonnes) divided by the total amount input (tonnes) x 100. So the percentage recovered and recycled = 91.5 divided by 100 x 100 = 91.5%
The highest recovery target for any of the categories is 85%. As the overall recovery and recycling rate in this example is 91.5%, all the targets for categories in SMW are met.
The recovery and recycling targets flow chart shows how you can prove you have met the targets. It starts with the largest output by weight. Material outputs can be assumed to be 100% recycled if the reprocessor meets the recycling efficiency standards agreed by your environmental regulator.
How to complete the recovery and recycling rate template
You need to submit a completed actual recovery and recycling rate template each year when you apply for approval.
If you operate more than one site you can total up the recovery and recycling rates for all the sites and submit your data in one template.
You can report in the 6 collection streams, they are:
- large domestic appliances (LDA)
- cooling equipment
- display equipment
- lamps
- small mixed WEEE (SMW)
- photovoltaic panels
If you treat only a single category (for example category 4, consumer equipment) within a stream you need to report by that category instead of the collection stream.
If you treat both SMW and individual categories of WEEE then apply the recovery and recycling rate for SMW to the individual categories as well. You must only do this if you use similar recycling processes. For example, if SMW is the main input (material entering your facility) but you also receive categories 3 and 4 in smaller volumes, then report the SMW recovery and recycling rates to these categories as well.
You can use any of the following methodologies to calculate your recovery and recycling rates:
- mass balance data
- batch testing specific collection streams – you can choose your batch size
- another methodology – check your approach with your environmental regulator
You do not need to consider seasonal shifts in WEEE input because the impact on the overall recycling rate is likely to be minimal.
The data in your template lasts for one year. You only need to rerun your sample testing for future years if there is significant change to:
- the recycling technology, for example you install a water table for recycling residues which previously went to landfill
- your WEEE input streams, for example you change from just receiving category 3 to include SMW
- new technology or legislation that alters downstream recycling and recovery rates, for example implementation of persistent organic pollutants may require UK disposal of brominated flame retardant plastics
Acceptable reprocessor recycling efficiencies
| Waste received by a reprocessor | Percentage of waste which must actually be recycled (% recycling efficiency) |
|---|---|
| Paper and cardboard | 85 |
| Glass (at the container works) | 98 |
| Glass (at the cullet processing facility) | 96 |
| Steel (from the foundry, basic oxygen steelmaking*, and electric arc) | 98 |
| Plastics | 75 |
| Aluminium | 98 |
*Note: basic oxygen steel making uses pure oxygen to produce steel from liquid blast-furnace iron and scrap. The electric arc method uses electricity at a high current to melt scrap steel into liquid steel.
If the recycling efficiency of the reprocessor meets the minimum percentages set out above you can assume that the material has been 100% recycled for the purpose of meeting the recovery targets. If the reprocessor recycling efficiency falls below the minimum you will need to take this into account in your recovery target calculation. In the recovery targets example above the reprocessor recycling efficiency for plastic was 50%, well below the acceptable efficiency, so the 50% figure should be used in the calculation.
9. AEs: recovery and recycling targets
You do not need to meet recovery and recycling targets if you export WEEE derived materials that have evidence issued upon it by an AATF. But you may need to keep supporting information to show that WEEE materials sent to a reprocessor have been recycled to the required efficiency standards. This is so the AATFs you work for can demonstrate that they have met the targets.
If you issue evidence notes for WEEE exported for reuse, you are expected to show 100% recovery.
10. AATFs and AEs: keeping records
Records support your evidence notes, and prove you are meeting recovery and recycling targets for the WEEE that you either treat in the UK or export. Your environmental regulator will check this information during compliance audits, so keep your records for at least 4 years.
The records can include:
- details of testing and repair
- protocols and weights for reuse
- input and output records
- waste transfer notes and consignment notes for movement of WEEE and WEEE materials
- weighbridge tickets
- contracts
- sampling records
- input logs
- invoices
- treatment types
- receipts
- bills of lading or transport documents
- details of reprocessor treatments and recycling efficiencies
For exported WEEE you will also have:
- customs documents – including container numbers if used
- bills of lading
- shipment details
- Waste Shipment Regulations documents (such as Annex VII documents) and invoices
- contracts and records between you and the receiving site
You may also use other means of evidence, for example, photographs of WEEE arriving or leaving your site.
Keep detailed and accurate records for any transactions, especially descriptions of WEEE on transfer notes, be as specific as possible. Any records you hold should also provide a link to the category and type of evidence issued.
If you operate as both an AATF and an AE, you will need documents showing the transfer from treatment to WEEE-derived materials for export.
For any unrecoverable WEEE you must keep records and supporting documents to show disposal was environmentally sound.
11. Offences and penalties
If you fail to comply with the regulations you may face criminal prosecution.
The penalties imposed for failing to keep to the regulations are fines and these will reflect the severity of the offence.
Magistrates’ court: unlimited.
Crown Court: unlimited.
See the Environment Agency’s offence response options for the WEEE regulations in the Waste document.
12. Testing and repair for reuse
You must show how you assess what WEEE you receive or export is reusable. This includes any regular testing or repair protocols.
British Standards Institution (BSI) has a standard for repair and refurbishment of WEEE, PAS 141 2011. WRAP reuse protocols also support the BSI standard.
You must also tell us how you:
- work out the weights and categories of WEEE you reuse
- account for WEEE unsuitable for reuse
Only issue an evidence note for WEEE on receipt if you are sure it is reusable.
If you export used electrical and electronic equipment, follow the minimum requirements specified in Schedule 9 of the WEEE Regulations 2013.
If you are issuing reuse evidence for another ATF, you must provide your environment regulator with full details of the testing and repair methods you use. Include a full audit trail for all the evidence issued. You must prove there are existing markets that will buy the reused WEEE.
13. Best available treatment recovery and recycling techniques (BATRRT)
ATFs must treat WEEE using BATRRT.
14. Batteries in WEEE
Do not include the weight of batteries in any evidence notes you issue, or in any quarterly return you send to your environmental regulator.
You must have a method for deducting the weight of batteries from the total weight of WEEE you receive.
For AATFs carrying out multiple activities on site this may not always be possible. See the examples for guidance on what to do for the activities listed.
Example 1: AATFs and AEs accepting single category WEEE streams
Remove batteries from the WEEE before treatment, this is a BATRRT requirement. Deduct the tonnage of batteries removed from the tonnage of WEEE received.
Example 2: AATFs and AEs with site-specific protocols
Where possible calculate the actual weight of batteries, otherwise use the site specific protocol agreed with your environmental regulator.
Example 3: AATFs carrying out continuous bulk processes or sending WEEE to other facilities for treatment
You can:
- develop a site specific protocol for the percentage weight of batteries to be deducted
- collate battery weight from treatment sites that take your WEEE and deduct this from the tonnage of WEEE you originally received
If neither of the above are practical, use the SMW protocol percentage, deducting 0.68 percent from the total weight of WEEE.
Keep records to prove this. The amount of WEEE evidence issued should match the amounts of WEEE treated, recovered and recycled, minus the weight of batteries.
15. Use of WEEE protocols
DCFs collect WEEE in 6 separate streams:
| Stream | Description |
|---|---|
| A | Large domestic appliances (LDA) |
| B | Cooling appliances |
| C | Display equipment containing cathode ray tubes |
| D | Gas discharge lamps |
| E | All other WEEE (normally called small mixed WEEE – SMW) |
| F | Photovoltaic panels |
There are protocols for streams A and E. They provide an average percentage breakdown by category that you can apply to the total WEEE you receive.
The protocols can only be applied by AATFs receiving stream A or E WEEE for treatment from local authority DCFs (LA DCFs).
The SMW protocol (stream E) can also apply to WEEE not collected from LA DCFs, providing you meet all these conditions:
- the combined total of WEEE received is less than 500 tonnes a year
- you collect WEEE separately from households
- the WEEE is comparable to SMW from an LA DCF
- the WEEE collection is part of a contract with a PCS
With these conditions satisfied, the SMW protocol can be used for collections from:
- retailer take-back scheme
- kerbside or bring-bank B2C
- mixed B2B SMW
Do not use the protocols:
- for reuse WEEE
- if you separate WEEE into reuse and treatment
- if you are an AATF receiving pre-segregated WEEE in a single category, or specific items within a category like mobile phones
16. SMW protocol
Use the percentages in the table below to calculate the weight of SMW received from DCFs for each category.
| Category | Percentage % |
|---|---|
| 1 | 15.88 |
| 2 | 20.99 |
| 3 | 18.69 |
| 4 | 13.13 |
| 5 | 3.57 |
| 6 | 16.83 |
| 7 | 3.34 |
| 8 | 0.00 |
| 9 | 0.68 |
| 10 | 0.00 |
| 11 | 0.92 |
| 12 | 0.24 |
| 13 | 0.00 |
| 14 | 0.15 |
| Non-WEEE | 4.9 |
| Batteries | 0.68 |
| Total | 100% |
To calculate these figures use the total tonnage of SMW received multiplied by the percentage for the category.
Example: an AATF receives 4,466 tonnes of SMW from DCFs. They apply the protocol to work out the weight of WEEE for evidence notes and how much to allocate to each category. You can do this as a one step calculation and there is no need to deduct the weight of batteries first for each category.
Calculation for category 1: 4,466 tonnes × 15.88% = 709.201 tonnes.
Repeat the calculation for each category, including the non-WEEE and batteries fractions.
| Category | Percentage % | Tonnage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15.88 | 709.201 |
| 2 | 20.99 | 937.413 |
| 3 | 18.69 | 834.695 |
| 4 | 13.13 | 586.386 |
| 5 | 3.57 | 159.436 |
| 6 | 16.83 | 751.628 |
| 7 | 3.34 | 149.164 |
| 8 | 0.00 | 0.000 |
| 9 | 0.68 | 30.369 |
| 10 | 0.00 | 0.000 |
| 11 | 0.92 | 41.087 |
| 12 | 0.24 | 10.718 |
| 13 | 0.00 | 0.000 |
| 14 | 0.15 | 6.699 |
| Non-WEEE | 4.9 | 218.834 |
| Batteries | 0.68 | 30.369 |
| Totals | 100% | 4,466.000 |
This means the AATF can issue a total of 4,216.797 tonnes of evidence.
17. LDA protocol
The protocol allows for 97.64% LDA, 1.21% SMW, 0.17% cooling and 0.98% non-WEEE.
To calculate these figures use the total tonnage of LDA received multiplied by the percentage for the category.
Example: in 1 month an AATF receives 2,789 tonnes of LDA from a DCF. You can do this as a one-step calculation and there is no need to deduct the weight of batteries first for each category.
Calculation for category 1: 2,789 tonnes × 97.64% = 2,761.668 tonnes.
Repeat the calculation for categories 2 to 10, category 12 and the non-WEEE fraction.
| Category | Percentage | Tonnage |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 LDA | 97.64% | 2,723.180 |
| Category 2 to 10 SMW | 1.21% | 33.747 |
| Category 12 Cooling | 0.17% | 4.741 |
| Non-WEEE | 0.98% | 27.611 |
| Totals | 100% | 2,789.279 |
This means the AATF can issue a total of 2,761.668 tonnes of evidence.
18. Mixed SMW and LDA
An AATF receiving mixed SMW and LDA from a DCF can apply both protocols.
You must have accurate data on the percentage split of SMW and LDA within the load. Your environmental regulator will accept 2 methods for working this out:
- hand-sorting into separate loads of SMW and LDA
- regular sampling of a representative tonnage to find an average percentage split between SMW and LDA – how often you must do this will be agreed as part of your application for approval as an AATF
In your AATF application, you must always set out your chosen method.
19. Alternative protocols
A group of AATFs or AATF operators, trade bodies or other associations may develop a WEEE protocol, but before using it they must have the agreement of the UK’s environmental regulators.
You can submit a proposal for a protocol at any time, but you cannot apply an approved protocol retrospectively.
A protocol must specify:
- minimum sampling requirements as a percentage of the tonnage for a particular waste stream
- frequency of sampling
- use of other data, for example, if a retailer or producer holds accurate records of items through a return or take-back scheme
To apply for an alternative protocol you need to:
- send your proposed protocol to the environmental regulator of the UK country where most of your work takes place
- include evidence of sampling to support the protocol – your environmental regulator may also want see the sampling in action
If the results are acceptable to the environmental regulators, the protocol is accepted.
20. UK regulators
Environment Agency (England):
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 03708 506 506
Northern Ireland Environment Agency:
Email; [email protected]
Telephone: 028 9056 9338
Scottish Environment Protection Agency:
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01786 457700
Natural Resources Wales:
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0300 065 3000