Operating a WEEE producer compliance scheme

Producer compliance schemes (PCS) arrange for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) to be collected and treated, recycled or reused on behalf of their members. They buy evidence from approved authorised treatment facilities (AATFs) and approved exporters (AEs) to demonstrate that the WEEE has been treated, reused or recovered.

What you must do

If you want to operate a PCS you must:

• apply to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) or Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) for approval
• demonstrate that you can collect and arrange the treatment and recycling of the amount of your members' WEEE obligations for at least three years.
• Follow the code of practice for designated collection facilities

GOV.UK: Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) collection: code of practice

NIEA: Application forms and guidance for PCS operators

SEPA: Contact SEPA

You may also need to register as a waste carrier or broker to transport or trade waste.

Waste carriers, brokers and dealers

Requirements when operating a PCS

If you operate a PCS you must give your environmental regulator (NIEA or SEPA):

• quarterly reports, including the amount of new electrical and electronic equipment placed on the market by your producers
• a declaration of compliance supported by evidence to show how you have paid for the treatment and recycling of your members' WEEE
• an operational plan by 31 July each year
• records of the amount in tonnes of household and non-household WEEE recovered, treated and recycled.

You must also:

• register each of your producer members for each compliance period
• arrange for WEEE to be collected and transported to an authorised treatment facility (ATF), AATF or AE for treatment or recovery
• ensure AATFs or AEs are treating WEEE to the required standards and enough material and components are recycled or recovered
• obtain enough evidence to show you have met your members' obligations
• co-operate with other PCSs.

Operational plans

The operational plan must include:

• evidence that you have the money and technical expertise to operate the scheme
• details of how you plan to treat, recover and recycle household and non-household WEEE
• the designated collection facilities, AATFs and AEs you intend to use
• an estimate of the amount of WEEE you will handle.

There are different obligations for collecting household WEEE and non-household WEEE. Contact the NIEA or SEPA for further information.

Contact your environmental regulator

Further information

GOV.UK: WEEE: apply for approval as a producer compliance scheme

In this guideline

Businesses affected by the WEEE Regulations

Equipment covered by the WEEE Regulations

Producers of electrical and electronic equipment – What you must do

Distributors of electrical and electronic equipment – What you must do

Users of electrical and electronic equipment – What you must do

Repairing, refurbishing and storing WEEE

Treating and recycling WEEE

Exporting WEEE

Operating a WEEE producer compliance scheme

Dealing with hazardous WEEE

WEEE environmental legislation