Under the UK WEEE Regulations, the default position for distributors directly supplying new Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) for use by private households is that they are required to offer "in store" take back for all old EEE returned by consumers when they are purchasing new products. This must be free of charge, providing that any such WEEE is of equivalent type to and has fulfilled the same function as the supplied equipment.

Retailers become exempt from offering in-store take back by joining the UK's only WEEE distributor take back scheme (DTS), which in many cases will provide a practical and cost effective alternative.

Valpak has been appointed to operate the distributor take back scheme by the Government.

What this means in practice is that all distributors supplying EEE to the public (household use) must ensure that they have made provision for their customers to return WEEE free of charge when selling a new product. This can be achieved in one of two ways, by either offering in store collection of waste corresponding to all types of equipment sold, or by financially contributing toward the provision of the WEEE collection facilities by Local Authorities at recycling centres through membership of the DTS.

As a result of paying to join the DTS, there will be no need to:

• provide one-for-one, like-for-like take back of WEEE in store

• organise storage of WEEE on your site

• contract with a third party to remove stored WEEE for treatment

The DTS will also assist its members in meeting their further obligation to inform consumers as to the location of convenient WEEE collection facilities through www.recycle-more.co.uk. For more information on the Consumer Information Obligations please click here »

Existing members - re-joining the DTS in phase 2
If you are thinking of re-joining the DTS in phase 2, please click here to see the relevant fact sheet.

Established businesses - joining the DTS for the first time in phase 2
If you have been involved in the provision of electrical and electronic equipment to households for more than three months, and are thinking of joining the DTS for the first time in phase 2 , please click here to see the relevant fact sheet.

New to market - joining the DTS in phase 2
If you are new to market have been involved in the provision of electrical and electronic equipment to households for less than three months, and are thinking of joining the DTS , please click here to see the relevant fact sheet.