1. Who and what is Weee NL?
Our most frequently asked question! In short: Weee Nederland is a collective retrieval system. We organise the collection and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE, or e-waste) – and since 1 January 2019 lamps as well – in the Netherlands for our affiliated manufacturers and importers. Manufacturers and importers of electronics have a legal responsibility to collect and recycle waste electrical and electronic equipment responsibly. And that’s where we come in: our system takes care of this task. We work together with municipalities, sorting centres, transporters, recycling companies and other partners to achieve it.
2. Is Weee Nederland a government body?
This question is clearly our second most frequently asked question. The answer is no. Weee Nederland is a private limited company with a balanced budget. We are also a Social Enterprise. We have competitive prices because we are a small, focused and efficient organisation.
3. Have the costs been determined by the government?
No. The basis of the Dutch legislation is the European WEEE Directive. The regulation makes manufacturers/importers responsible for the financing of e-waste. These costs have not been determined by the government and differ per system. The government regards e-waste as a raw material, leaving the fulfilment of obligations to the market. That’s a good thing for you because – since there are multiple providers on the market – you have a choice. We offer your organisation as much added value as possible at the lowest possible price.
4. What do I pay for as a manufacturer or importer?
As a manufacturer or importer of electrical and electronic equipment or lamps, you are legally obliged to comply with the requirements of the WEEE legislation. By connecting to a system such as Weee Nederland, you do so. We will also sign you up in the National WEEE Register. And we collect waste electrical and electronic equipment of all brands from municipalities and other locations as well as ensure recycling. That’s what you pay for. But you get even more. We make the collection of equipment more sustainable. Our focus is on creating added value for all parties: in addition to environmental benefits, we also create a social win-win. For example, by setting up employment projects together with our partner municipalities to sort and process the collected materials. Weee Nederland only works with WEEELABEX-certified recycling companies, so we can keep the logistic distances as short as possible.
We set up communication projects and actions with schools and associations. That way, we ensure awareness and collection in a fun, educational and especially effective way. In addition to continuously improving our current working methods, we also look ahead. For example, we are thinking about how to make it as easy as possible for citizens to actually return e-waste.
5. What do I have to do in terms of administration if I choose Weee Nederland?
After entering into an agreement, you upload annual reports on an online platform. Learn more about this here (it is a short clip in Dutch). This is all you have to do.
6. Which manufacturers and importers are affiliated with Weee Nederland?
We are very proud of the list of manufacturers that have already joined us. The list of names, such as Kärcher and LG, can be found here.
7. Does Weee Nederland also take care of the collection and disposal of products for my company?
Are you a manufacturer or importer of electrical and electronic equipment and are you affiliated with Weee Nederland? Or are you affiliated with us as a retailer? Give us a call or email us, and we will arrange for the equipment to be picked up. For the lamp system, we offer lamp collection containers for distributors. We do not place collection bins in stores. Instead, we have introduced the returning system with (bike) couriers (Weeelectric). If you are not a manufacturer or importer, you can have the equipment collected and processed by a WEEELABEX-certified processor. You will find a list here.
8. What distinguishes Weee Nederland from others?
Weee Nederland has a different approach: social interests are better served. We activate people at the local level and thereby get them more involved in the collection process. This is all done for a competitive price, thanks to our small, focused and efficient organisation.
9. How do I know if I need to register or not?
We have made a handy overview which shows you whether or not you need to register in the Netherlands. If you market equipment abroad or are assuming an obligation from a foreign retailer in that country, please call us for advice. We can also take over your registration abroad.
10. Are all lamps covered by the legislation?
The legislation covers: gas discharge lamps, fluorescent lamps with gas discharge, LED lamps (rotating or plug-in fitting), fluorescent lamps with LEDs, fixtures with LEDs or without lamps, and fixtures with integrated gas discharge (professional).
Incandescent and halogen lamps are not covered by the legislation as they are considered to be non-hazardous. The operation is also different; the light is generated with a filament. Lamps are considered WEEE because they contain either a harmful gas (gas discharge lamp) or electronics (LED lamp).
11. What about spare parts for lamps?
A lamp’s parts, such as an LED strip in a fixture or fitting, do not need to be reported separately. If, for example, it is part of the fixture, then the fixture must of course be reported by the person who puts it on the market, i.e. the person who sells it to the consumer.
If the fixture is delivered separately from the lamp, the lamp must also be reported separately.
To make it a little more complicated, components also exist. These are elements of the parts, such as the capacitor of a circuit board, and are not covered by the legislation.
12. Is there an overview of when something is seen as equipment and when something is seen as a component?
Yes. The Dutch Ministry of Waterways and Public Works, together with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the Inspectorate for the Environment and Transport, created a tool (in Dutch only). It also states if the manufacturer is responsible for it. Need a further explanation? Feel free to call or email us.
13. What are your rates and can I pass them on?
Weee Nederland’s rates are competitive. You almost always pay 10% less than anywhere else. Send us an email or call us, and you will know in a few minutes what you are paying and possibly saving!
13b. Can I pass on the costs?
If you are a company that passes on the costs of WEEE registration 1-on-1 to another company, it is smart to opt for our attractive rates. Charging may only be passed on to professional customers, not to consumers. This means that it is allowed for professional equipment, but not for consumer devices or dual use. We are proud of the advantages we can offer you: your organisation gets a lot of added social and environmental value at a very competitive price.
13c. How do I know if my manufacturers are B2B or B2C? Equipment specifically designed for businesses and unlikely to be used within private households are B2C.
14. How does reporting work?
Reporting via Weee Nederland is very easy. You register with us the number of pieces or kilos that you put on the market in the Netherlands. This report is submitted annually via our internet application.
15. How do I register?
Weee Nederland loves practicality. This is also reflected in the administrative actions. Registering is easy: Indicate on your registration form how many devices/kilos you put on the market and send it back to us signed. We can help you draw up a letter of termination. Once the Weee Nederland registration form has been returned to us, you will automatically receive a reminder when it is time to report.
16. What about the crossed-out waste bin symbol?
A symbol must be placed on equipment that falls under the WEEE directive. This indicates that the products must be collected and properly recycled. This symbol is a crossed-out waste bin. This symbol must be affixed visibly, legibly and indelibly. Want to know more? The logo can be found in annex IX of the latest version of the EU Directive (2012/19/EU).
17. Where can I find the WEEE number?
This number is on the confirmation you will receive after registering with Weee Nederland.
18. What about the waste disposal fee?
For large white goods, such as washing machines, the waste disposal fee was abolished in 2013. For small electrical and electronic equipment, such as TVs and coffee machines, there has not been a waste disposal fee since 2011. Manufacturers now pay the costs that are included in the price of the product. That means that the waste disposal fee is not a government fee, but a market rate. You have a choice of two operators and we are one of them.
19. Does all electrical and electronic equipment fall under the regulation? Not all, but quite a lot. In 2018, the open scope in the WEEE scheme became effective. This means that all products containing an electrical or electronic element are now considered to be equipment. Examples of new products are electric bicycles, consumer fixtures and toys that have lights or cables.