Weee directive

[G6Tanuki]

Scrappies won't give cash-money to anyone who "just wanders in" with a load of non-ferrous scrap! They'll expect you to provide photo-ID, and they'll pay any remittances to a business-account.

This has been the case since introduction of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 - intended to cut down on the 'laundering' of stolen lead from church-roofs, copper cable etc.

See http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2013/10/enacted

Having to deal with all this sort of hassle is why I'd still be inclined to get a WEEE skip from one of the regional recycling companies. Let them deal with all the regulatory impediments, and focus your time/effort on something more valuable!

[Maarten]

Originally Posted by Ed_Dinning

Certainly the transformers and batteries are worth money but to get a decision to dispose is virtually impossible.
It is much easier to say NO!
This inertia by civil service types is costing dear.

Ed

In The Netherlands, the recycling of lead acid batteries especially, is almost at 100% as you can sell them for scrap value (usually around 50 cents per kilo) at almost any registered scrap metals dealer. Isn't this the case in the UK?

Edit after reading #21: We have some restrictions too, if you sell copper you'll have to show a photo ID. Not for aluminium or iron, and I don't think for lead-acid batteries either.

['LIVEWIRE?']

Having run a small (one man) repair workshop for almost 25 years, and, in that time, accumulated quite a number of radios, audio amps., etc., that for whatever reason have not been, and in some cases, could not be repaired and need to be disposed of, does this all mean that I simply can't get a friend or relative to take things to the nearest recycling centre on my behalf? From what I've been reading in this thread, I assume only a licenced waste transfer firm is allowed to dispose of scrap radio & electronic items, although someone I know used to take two or three things at a time when he was going to the centre (a.ka. tip!) Perhaps I'll make a list of some of the radios, etc., and post it in the 'Sets, parts, etc. offered' section, then any forum member who would like any of the items can have them, though larger things would have to be collected from my workshop.

[Cobaltblue]

When we moved back into our home we had bought a lot of new furniture and appliances. I filled my Outlander with the seats down more than 10 times with the packaging.
Cardboard folded flat, polythene and polystyrene.
The local recycling operator after load 5 accused me of being a "commercial operator".
I pointed out that it was packaging from tables chairs cupboards etc he was very unhappy.
The next 3 loads went to the centre accross the other side of the city just to avoid conflict.
Our centres are run by private companys and they recieved money from local goverment to operate them.
The more they can charge the higher the profit margin.
He still keeps his eye on me ever time I go now
Despite being the least likely to be the boss by looks he's an old fashioned Albert Steptoe wearing a Hi Viz he's definitely in charge.
If I need to dispose of modern electronics PC's printers etc I take it to the office where thare are big bins just for this purpose.
You could try approaching a large local company to see if they can put it in with their WEEE waste?

[AC/HL]

When we downsized a couple of years ago I took multiple car loads of all types to the recycling centre in Bradford, which is council run. The only comment I received was directing to another skip when one was being compacted. Once I had to use a different site due to maintenance work. The chap there helped me to unload!
It's private here, Suez, but I had no problem disposing of the considerable amount of rubbish left by the previous occupant. The only stipulation seems to be registering your vehicle, although a large van may require a different permit.

[paulsherwin]

Practice varies between different local authorities and their contractors. The only absolute restriction seems to be that you will not be made welcome if you turn up in a Transit. Waste in private cars that can be unloaded by the driver seems to be acceptable in most places, but the contractors can use their discretion if the same car turns up day after day. They are particularly strict with anything that appears so be construction waste, as they always consider this to be commercial.

Council recycling centre policy has become increasingly Draconian as the councils try to live with budget cuts and bureaucratic waste disposal rules. This has the unwanted consequence of encouraging fly tipping as 'man with a van' petty criminals spot an opportunity.

This illegal dump was about 100 yards from a major council recycling depot:
https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/15...ds-super-dump/

[Uncle Bulgaria]

What's the difference between WEEE and 'the tip'? Here we can take whatever to the 'centre', including electricals. The only exception is if you want to take a van you need a book of chitties available for some cost (possibly nominal) which need to be redeemed each visit, presumably to limit the number of van trips for an otherwise normal household. As we have some building waste from demolition that cannot be reused or repurposed into useful fill, sometimes we have to take the van but with the chits they don't count it as 'commercial'.

In Edinburgh I've taken advantage of the tip's electricals shed where they take out things that look all right which can be taken away rather than dumped. Perhaps local radio groups could be paid to strip circuit boards!

[ms660]

Ditto as Uncle B, never had any problem taking stuff to the dump, they even tell you which skip or which part of the yard to dump it in just incase you can't read.

Lawrence.

[dominicbeesley]

The stipulation here seems to be if it has back seats and windows it is not a van. I got hassles with my landrover with canvas top that didn't have side windows. The new canvas with windows is ok even though the rear seats lost their cushions long ago.

If it's commercial you have to bring in the vehicle v5 and register for vouchers at the council office...most of which are now closed. I've no idea if that allows weee stuff though.

[evingar]

Our local amenity site in the village takes small appliances. "small" being dictated by the minuscule "mouth" to the skip. There are lots of "angry" posters around the area saying that anything left outside of a skip constitutes "fly tipping". The interval of skip emptying is not enough for demand and so despite warning posters , "stuff" is invariably strewn around the place. The jobsworths emptying the skips don't appear to put the overflow into the new skip when they deliver it. The result is the mountain outside of the skips just keeps on growing I usually lob a few items into the skip from the overflow when I can but I'm a bit bothered I may get "nailed" for fly tipping (some jobsworth assuming I'm responsible for all of the over-spill).

Our local tip is Newbury, but being over the border in Hampshire we are severely restricted in when we can dump there - there is an arrangement where Hampshire pay a sum to enable people in Hampshire adjacent to the tip to use it. The alternative is a substantial car journey to the other side of Basingstoke - hardly ecologically friendly. Newbury is very restrictive on vehicle types. Even chunkier types of SUV are refused.

My personal POV is that we need a national policy of recycling and no demarcation between counties - you take stuff to your nearest centre. It's a total nonsense where every area has a different policy with regards to what can and can't be recycled. Most people haven't got the foggiest what types of plastic are recyclable and which aren't in their area - the re-cycling logo on the products means nothing and is actually misleading if your area does not recycle that type of plastic

[cheerfulcharlie]

Originally Posted by Maarten

In The Netherlands, the recycling of lead acid batteries especially, is almost at 100% as you can sell them for scrap value (usually around 50 cents per kilo) at almost any registered scrap metals dealer. Isn't this the case in the UK?

Edit after reading #21: We have some restrictions too, if you sell copper you'll have to show a photo ID. Not for aluminium or iron, and I don't think for lead-acid batteries either.

As a boy you could quite easily supplement your pocket money by taking an old car battery to the scrapyard ..not sure what happens now.

[G4_Pete]

These are the people I have used reciently. They supply crates and you just fill them and give them a call when they need emptying. May be worth a call to see if they have any further info/ facilities locally where you can take stuff cheaper.

http://www.veolia.co.uk/services/was...equipment-weee

Pete

[emeritus]

Some consistency wold be useful. My local tip (Essex CC) doen't ask for ID anymore but has a vehicle licence plate recognition system that displays your number as you enter. It has containers for batteries, computers, non-computer electricals, and CFL lamps. They will collect furniture for a fee but not motorised chairs or sofas. We had to hire a transit and put an old motorised sofa in the general non-recyclable skip ourselves. Conversely, 10 miles away at my late mother's in a London borough, you had to show either a driving licence or a council tax bill ( no other ID accepted) but they did have an area where you could leave and remove unwanted domestic items such as furniture, and bulky furniture items would be collected for free.

[Herald1360]

Originally Posted by dominicbeesley

The stipulation here seems to be if it has back seats and windows it is not a van. I got hassles with my landrover with canvas top that didn't have side windows. The new canvas with windows is ok even though the rear seats lost their cushions long ago.

I've been grouched at, though not actually refused locally for having a fixed (weldmesh) partition between the rear seats and the load area of my 50 year old Landrover Station Wagon even with its four side doors, rear door with step, glass all round and maker's "Station Wagon" badge on the back. It's a dog guard not a partition of course

[Tim]

All this "nonsense" and restrictive behaviour hardly encourages people who need to get rid of a lot of stuff.
I had a bloke at our local recycling centre almost refuse to take one of a pair of identical optical computer drives because it had an official looking sticker on he thought constituted commercial waste.

Absolutely ridiculous. Then Councils wonder why people fly tip.

Ok, some hazardous waste needs to be disposed of properly, such as chemicals etc. But if a company disposes of cardboard it's commercial waste, if a householder disposes of exactly the same cardboard it is domestic waste. Surely it's the SAME.


Unfortunately the "small appliances" skip at our local Civic Amenity Site, is nearest the office, and unlike all the others never seem to move around at random.
There are hardly ever any radios or similar in it though.

[mark_in_manc]

Originally Posted by Ed_Dinning

Certainly the transformers and batteries are worth money but to get a decision to dispose is virtually impossible.
It is much easier to say NO!
This inertia by civil service types is costing dear.

Ed

This sounds like one of those instances where asking for forgiveness is better than asking for permission. My charity sales (on here and elsewhere) come about as a result of riding roughshod over this stuff in a university context. I take the view that I am not going to live forever and there are some decisions I would rather not wait around for.

[SiriusHardware]

In my loft, I have a number of ex-PMR radios such as Pye / Philips MX290 series radios - a mix of 293s, 294s, 295s and 296s. With the best will in the world I am unlikely to find a use for all of them now and either I or someone else will eventually have to dispose of them.

If you know these sets you will know that they, like many VHF / UHF sets of the period, contain RF semiconductor devices which utilise Beryllium Oxide, a substance which is safe in the form in which it is deployed in the devices but is extremely toxic if crushed and dispersed as dust, which it might well be if disposed of in general waste. Even if I carefully remove and separate the Beryllium oxide devices so that the chassis can be disposed of as general electronic waste, where would I now take the Beryllium devices for safe and responsible disposal?

If Pye / Philips / Simoco still existed I would take them to a local service centre for disposal, but since they no longer exist, that avenue is no longer open.

[AC/HL]

Originally Posted by SiriusHardware

If you know these sets you will know that they, like many VHF / UHF sets of the period, contain RF semiconductor devices which utilise Beryllium Oxide, a substance which is safe in the form in which it is deployed in the devices but is extremely toxic if crushed and dispersed as dust, which it might well be if disposed of in general waste.

You're not supposed to put electrical/electronic waste in with general waste though. Nothing really to stop people putting it in their bin, but it will almost certainly be separated out by the sorters at the depot. The WEEE contractor there should know how to dispose of it safely.

I binned (normal bin) a quite posh monitor a few days ago (wide screen LCD hi res etc.) as it had been on the floor in the kitchen for one night and got cat pee on it, the bottom edge was all black and wiggly when used. The bin men took it, real wee waste.

Mind you I do keep our bin men sweet, a simple fiver tip gets anything removed (12 rubble bags once). They usually turn up just as I am about to walk to work, handy.

[slidertogrid]

The recycling centre here in Peterborough has recently moved.
At the old place there was a line of skips run by a bunch of fairly unhelpful people that seemed to be picking through the stuff that was taken there. The layout was really poor and you were often stuck waiting to get to a skip while someone who had all the time in the world slowly unloaded their car.
The staff on the whole were surly and unhelpful and kept an eye on what was coming out of your car.
I never had a problem as far as being questioned about the stuff I took but I heard from friends that they had been challenged when clearing out their garages , Old tyres were refused for instance.

The new place is much better it is all undercover, the skips are level with the ground level of the parking area. The various skips are well labelled.
The unhelpful "Jobsworth" lot from the old place seem to have gone elsewhere.
I took a car full of scrap wood and was helped to unload the car by one of the staff.

The only slightly painful thing was seeing what other people had dumped!
A newish looking Mobility scooter laid in the scrap skip, A Sony TV the same as I have at home (about five years old) was tossed in the container while I was there!
The wastage these days is incredible ! Surely the best recycling is to keep stuff going rather than smashing it up for a bit of scrap!