In brief
WEEE refers to waste electrical and electronic equipment and to EU Directive 2012/19/EU, which governs its take-back, recovery and producer responsibility.
Contents
What is WEEE?
WEEE stands for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. Directive 2012/19/EU requires producers that place electrical and electronic equipment on the market in a Member State to register, to mark their products and to finance take-back and disposal. In Germany, it is transposed by the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG); registration is carried out with a central body appointed for this purpose.
The identifying mark is the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol on the equipment. A distinction is made between equipment that can be used in private households and purely B2B equipment, for which different take-back rules apply. Certain products are excluded from the scope, such as large-scale stationary industrial tools and large-scale fixed installations. A party that first offers or imports equipment in a country may also count as a producer within the meaning of the law.
For maintenance and procurement, WEEE is relevant in two directions: when disposing of removed controllers, drives, sensors or operator panels, and when importing electronic spare parts from non-EU countries. Whether a part counts as equipment or as a component is not always clear-cut. The legal text and the competent authority are authoritative; this entry does not constitute legal advice.
In practice: maintenance and procurement
For removed electronics, clarify whether the supplier offers take-back or an authorised waste management company is engaged, and document what happens to the equipment. If you import electronic equipment yourself, check in advance whether this gives rise to registration obligations.
Synonyms and abbreviations: electronic waste · WEEE Directive · Directive 2012/19/EU · ElektroG (Germany)
Frequently asked questions
What does the WEEE symbol mean?
The symbol of a crossed-out wheeled bin indicates that an electrical or electronic device must not be disposed of with household waste or mixed commercial waste but must be collected separately. It is applied by the producer. A bar beneath the symbol can indicate that the equipment was placed on the market after a certain cut-off date.
Does WEEE also apply to industrial equipment?
Yes, in principle, electrical and electronic equipment used commercially, such as controllers, measuring instruments or drives, is also covered by the WEEE rules. However, different take-back rules apply to purely B2B equipment than to household appliances. Exclusions include large-scale stationary industrial tools and large-scale fixed installations. Whether a specific product is covered must be checked in each individual case.
What is the difference between WEEE and RoHS?
RoHS governs which hazardous substances new electrical and electronic equipment may contain and thus applies at the manufacturing stage. WEEE, by contrast, governs how waste equipment is collected, recovered and financed at the end of its life. The two sets of rules complement each other and often concern the same products, but have different obligations and scopes.