With the Distributor Take-back Scheme (DTS) changes coming into effect on 1st January 2021, unless exempt, companies operating stores that sell electrical products will need to provide an in-store waste electricals takeback service to their customers. These changes were implemented as many non-essential retailers closed so REPIC is issuing a timely reminder to its scheme members to check their obligations as they reopen their stores.
Retailer take back changes
From 1st January 2021, if your company sells £100,000 or more of EEE per year and has at least one physical store, you can no longer opt out of in store takeback of waste electricals by joining the DTS.
Previously, it was possible for all Distributors to join the Distributor Take-back Scheme (DTS) to alleviate their obligations to take back waste electricals. The DTS will now only accept applications from online only Distributors or those companies with stores that have EEE sales of less than £100,000 per year. All other businesses with Distributor obligations must now make arrangements to provide an in-store takeback service.
There are two types of take-back requirements that are relevant for all obligated Distributors. A ‘like for like’ take back, which requires Distributors to allow customers to return items equivalent in type to those they purchase from the retailer or a ‘general’ take back. Under the ‘general’ take back, retailers with greater than 400 square metres floor space allocated to the sale of electrical products will be required to accept all items of “very small WEEE” regardless of whether customers are replacing the item by buying new products or not.
Laura Crehan, scheme member account manager, comments: “The aim of this significant change is to ensure that consumers have an easily accessible method of disposing of waste electrical and electronic equipment when purchasing new products.
“Many Distributors have recently experienced a prolonged period of store closure so our timely reminder is to highlight the services REPIC can offer to those members looking for a readily available, customised solution to meet their new in-store take-back obligations.
“Having an experienced national network of approved service providers enables us to tailor support for our members’ take back activities through the provision of fully compliant collection and treatment services. We offer a personal service to each scheme member and provide a compliant one stop solution for producer responsibility.”
Our service offering
REPIC’s retailer take back service offers a nationwide waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) take back collection and recycling solution.
The service is designed to match member’s specific needs around coverage, volumes and space in store. Able to accommodate retailers with just one store, through to those with 100s of nationwide stores, the service provides solutions for single WEEE streams or more complex mixed WEEE loads. Whether the waste is packaged, hazardous or non-hazardous.
Solutions include WEEE boxes and WEEE bags with collection frequencies tailored to each store’s requirements. Training workshops for all store staff to ensure safe and efficient handling of WEEE, a dedicated account manager, member reviews and full tracking and reporting are just some of the benefits of the REPIC retailer take back service.
Please check if your company is obligated to offer a retailer take back service and review the requirements of obligated physical retailers.
Answers to all these questions and the full service offering can be viewed on our website ________________________________________________________
If you would like to set up a retailer take back service, please contact:
Laura Crehan on 07961 052 214 or email LCrehan@repic.co.uk
