Disposal of electronic waste in the UK - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 09:10:46 am
content: The company I work for has a loosely written environmental policy that states that we adhere to current legislation (that is about as specific as it gets). Where does that leave us with disposing of electronic waste ? I just grabbed a keyboard someone was putting in the bin and I'll have to take it home and throw it on my own pile of stuff to go down the tip (err. recycling centre) and put in the electronics waste skip.

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 10:34:37 am
content: I think your basic choices are:Take it homeEbay itFind a deserving electronics nut or two and give it away.Find a surplus equipment disposal firm and pay them £££ to take it away.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 10:52:16 am
content: Quote from: grumpydoc on December 06, 2012, 10:34:37 amAh that might be our problem, for the small amount we chuck out someone can take it to the tip at the end of the same road.

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 11:04:58 am
content: QuoteIt's bloody expensive too, but the best(only?) way if you need paperwork. I've picked up more than one large box of stuff for essentially nothing on ebay because I suspect it was cheaper for the company to nearly give it away than get a disposal firm in.If it's interesting offer it on here, or PM me; I think I can get a bit more junk in the garage before the wife goes stratospheric

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 12:11:36 pm
content: this was just a pc's usb keyboard. I've seen little electronics thrown away so probably best just grab it and take it to the tip or find a use for it.

author: bitwelder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 03:02:17 pm
content: Quote from: grumpydoc on December 06, 2012, 10:34:37 amOr a local hackerspace.

author: DenzilPenberthy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2012, 11:07:58 am
content: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/topics/waste/32084.aspxSome handy stuff here about the WEEE Directive (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) which is probably the relevant legislation here.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 10, 2012, 12:52:54 pm
content: Quote from: DenzilPenberthy on December 10, 2012, 11:07:58 amlooks like we are exonerated but still it pisses me off that we have a "policy" and then throw electronics in the bin when a few hundred metres up the road is a recycling centre that would take them.

author: jeroen74
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2012, 08:20:32 pm
content: What hurts too is when during an annual cleaning action, perfectly good dev.boards, programmers, full reels and tubes of brand new components and whatever are just thrown into the bin.I resisted the temptation to take all the reels with ceramic caps, diodes, transistors and MOSFETs because I figured flogging them all takes an eternity and is more trouble then they worth.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 10, 2012, 09:53:22 pm
content: Quote from: jeroen74 on December 10, 2012, 08:20:32 pmThat is the whole problem, the actual goods and resources are worth so little that we throw them away.

author: Prizmatic
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2012, 12:35:23 am
content: www.freecycle.org

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2012, 12:43:54 am
content: Quote from: Simon on December 10, 2012, 09:53:22 pmFull reels, especially of semics would easily fetch enough on ebay to be worth the time listing them.

author: notsob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2012, 01:50:39 am
content: Quote from: jeroen74 on December 10, 2012, 08:20:32 pmPerhaps, after talking to the powers that be, you could set aside the DEV boards etc and offer them to local schools or community EE oriented clubs

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 11, 2012, 06:43:47 am
content: Quote from: Prizmatic on December 11, 2012, 12:35:23 amwe now use freegle in the UK after Mr freecycle went power and money mad.

author: jeroen74
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2012, 08:23:46 am
content: Quote from: notsob on December 11, 2012, 01:50:39 amOf course I went dumpster divingThe score:Microchip Pro mate II with two adaptersAtmel STK500 with AT90xxPWM adapter boardKeil ULogic mkI programmersome ST programmer for likely the STM8? seriesa couple of the now defunct Quantum Leaps touch sensor kitsFive LPC2148 boards from EmbeddedArtistsTwo AT86RF212 plugin boards from a german vendor of which the name escapes me nowTube of 9 brand new DL2416 intelligent dotmatrix LED display modules, currently about €28 at Farnell.Fluke/Philips bench multimeter of which I know the current measurement function is brokenMetcal powersupplyI all bought this for €1

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 11, 2012, 08:32:04 am
content: Quote from: notsob on December 11, 2012, 01:50:39 amI bet they'd even get something from ebay for that lot. Schools should be making their own dev boards and teaching kids to use breadboards.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2012, 09:18:22 am
content: Quote from: Simon on December 11, 2012, 08:32:04 amIn an ideal world, maybe, but with limited resources, a ready-to-go solution is a much more productive way of getting poeple initially interested & engaged.I've always found that devboards of pretty much any kind, even very obsolete, sell well on ebay.

author: Prizmatic
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2012, 11:19:45 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on December 11, 2012, 06:43:47 amMy local group is Freegle, didn't know it was a National swap-over though, (politics *yawn*).So why not use them? Sounds ideal for your needs, and self documenting.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 12, 2012, 08:17:57 am
content: Quote from: Prizmatic on December 11, 2012, 11:19:45 pmThen they were one of the groups that got snatched back by Mr freegle who started installing chums in america in place of local moderators when they dissagreed with him and his plans to make himself lots of money. Indeed it was a bit political. Many councils had pledged money to publicize the freegle cause and this was ok when it was a not for profit organization but suddenly became illegal when freegle became profit making.