In this age we should all be paying attention as to how our actions are likely to affect future generations. Modern living means that we are nearly all leaving our mark, but with consideration we feel it is still be possible to live greener life.
Each year millions of tons of electrical products are thrown away. A new directive called WEEE aims to recycle as much of this as possible, but by its nature it’s often a difficult and dirty process and currently much of this product is sent overseas where rules and regulations are less stringent.
All components and materials for our products come from carefully managed resources. Our products are also energy efficient relative to the high-quality performance they deliver, but most importantly we design and engineer our products so they will last and be enjoyed for many years to come. This in our opinion is a major key towards the ‘greener’ life we should all be trying to lead.
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive is now UK law. The legislation aims to make producers pay for the collection, treatment and recovery of waste electrical equipment. The regulations also mean that suppliers of equipment like high street shops and internet retailers must allow consumers to return their waste equipment free of charge. Customers wishing to return WEEE must pay for any transport cost incurred.
The amount of WEEE we throw away is increasing by around 5% each year, making it the fastest growing waste stream in the UK.
Much of the UK’s WEEE ends up in landfill, where the lead and other toxins it contains can cause soil and water contamination. This can have a harmful effect on natural habitat, wildlife and also human health.
Many electrical items that we throw away can be repaired or recycled. Recycling items helps to save our natural finite resources and also reduces the environmental and health risks associated with sending electrical goods to landfill.
Distributors of new Electric and Electronic Equipment (EEE) have a part to play in reducing the amount of WEEE going into landfill sites.
Ruark are obliged under these regulations to offer our customers free take-back of their WEEE on a like-for-like basis when they buy a new Electrical or Electronic product from us.
For example, if a customer bought a new DAB Radio from us we would accept their old DAB Radio and prevent it going into a landfill site by disposing of it safely. Customers must return their WEEE item to us within 28 days of purchasing their new item.
Under the WEEE Regulations, all new electrical goods should now be marked with the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol shown on the right.
Goods are marked with this symbol to show that they were produced after 13th August 2005, and should be disposed of separately from normal household waste so that they can be recycled.