What´s new for the Consumer
– Free-of-charge returning of WEEE at collection points set up in the municipalities, or at return facilities set up by producers or collection and recovery systems, or at larger final distributors when buying a new piece of equipment of equivalent type.
When taking back WEEE from private households, no charges must be collected for its disposal (provided that no other waste was added to the WEEE).Disposal charges formerly collected when purchasing refrigerating equipment are repaid. The reimbursement of existing badges and vouchers is handled by Umweltforum Haushalt; respective information folders have already been mailed to all households. Repayment of deposits for lamps remains unchanged, and is effected when returning such lamp to a distributor.
– Use of the existing and known collection structures for the disposal of out-of-use equipment (e.g. waste collection points known as “Mistplatz” or “Altstoffsammelhof”).
– Environmental relief and safeguarding of the health of humans and animals by environmentally friendlier EEE due to the ban on certain environmentally hazardous substances in their production and by putting priority on re-use and/or environmentally compatible recovery and treatment of out-of-use equipment.
What kind of equipment can be returned free of charge?
1. Large household appliances
e.g. refrigerating and freezing appliances, washing machines, dishwashers, cookers, stoves
2. Small household appliances
e.g. vacuum cleaners, irons, toasters, coffee machines, hair dryers
3. IT and telecommunications equipment
e.g. PCs and accessories, minicomputers, printers, laptops, telephones
4. Consumer electronics
e.g. radio sets, TV sets, video cameras, video recorders, hi-fi-sets
5. Lighting equipment
e.g. fluorescent lamps, energy-saving lamps
6. Electrical and electronic tools (with the exception of large-scale stationary industrial tools)
e.g. drills, saws, sewing machines, tools for welding and soldering, lawn mowers
7. Toys, sports and leisure equipment
e.g. electric trains and car racing sets, video-game consoles
8. Medical devices (with the exception of all implanted and infected products)
e.g. radiotherapy equipment, dialysis equipment, diverse laboratory equipment.
9. Monitoring and control instruments
e.g. smoke detectors, heating regulators, thermostats
10. Automatic dispensers
e.g. for beverages, money
06.03.2006, Lebensministerium VI/2