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Guidance for classification of B2B WEEE with B2C characteristics

19 April 2012

As a WEEE producer you may find yourself in a scenario where you are unable to classify the obligation of some of your products as household or non-household WEEE. The WEEE regulations state that commercial WEEE is to be classified as household WEEE where it is ‘similar in nature and quantity’ when it becomes WEEE, however this can be difficult to determine in reality.

The Environment Agency has issued new guidance to try reduce the number of difficult scenarios. To summarise, the Environment Agency are saying that if you are a business with WEEE that could be found and disposed of in the same way in a household then you can then classify it as household WEEE. The guidance specifically states that 'It is not acceptable for businesses to dispose of WEEE in small lots simply to pass on their obligation into B2C WEEE'. 

There are still a number of grey areas, but this guidance certainly helps provide clarification on the definition of WEEE from private households to assist Approved Authorised Treatment Facilities, Approved Exporters and Producer Compliance Schemes in classifying WEEE correctly.