International WEEE Day: Dispose of it, but do it right!

Many old electrical appliances still do not end up where they actually belong. However, there are now many ways to dispose of disused electrical appliances, batteries or toys with electronics or items of clothing such as flashing sneakers.

Batteries and rechargeable batteries, for example, can also be handed in the near future you go to the supermarket. Reason: All stores with a sales area of at least 400 square meters that sell such electronics must accept old appliances up to a size of 25 centimeters. This is free of charge and does not require you to have purchased the device or battery there. This is based on the Battery Act (BattG). It stipulates that every manufacturer of portable batteries is obliged to take them back and must set up and operate its own take-back system for waste portable batteries. Incidentally, according to $18 of the Battery Ordinance, you as the end user are even obliged to return used batteries.

Defective power strips, disused electronic toys or old kitchen appliances can be professionally disposed of at a public waste disposal facility such as a municipal recycling center. There is usually a separate table for such small appliances. Batteries and rechargeable batteries should be removed and disposed of separately, just like lamps. Damaged lithium-ion batteries regularly cause fires at recycling centers and landfill sites. Empty printer cartridges and toner cartridges also belong to e-waste and must be disposed of accordingly. Before disposing of old mobile devices, you should completely delete all data on them.

Have large appliances collected

For large televisions, you will usually find a separate container at the recycling center that accepts old appliances. Plan E, a joint manufacturer initiative, provides information about the nearest disposal points on its website. Alternatively, you can have e-waste collected at home in a similar way to bulky waste, but this may be subject to a charge depending on where you live and the appliance.

Larger appliances such as fridges or washing machines can be taken to municipal recycling centers or you can hand them in at the nearest landfill site. You can also instruct the store where you purchased the new replacement appliance to dispose of it. Electronics stores are obliged to take care of the old appliances free of charge in return for a new purchase. Online retailers are obliged to inform you of return options within a reasonable distance where you can dispose of the old appliance free of charge in return for the new purchase.

Disposing of photovoltaics

Small electrical appliances such as toasters, microwaves, shavers, radios, electric toys and e-cigarettes make up the largest share in Europe, amounting to 20.4 million tons in 2022. Photovoltaic panels accounted for the smallest share at around 600,000 tons. The disposal of solar modules still poses problems in this country: Possible drop-off points are usually further away and recycling of the valuable raw materials only works moderately well. Experts estimate that over 500,000 tons of old PV modules containing raw materials such as aluminium, glass, copper, silver and silicon will be produced in Germany from 2030. The disposal of PV modules is regulated by the German Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG), as the modules are legally regarded as electrical appliances.

This means that modules from private households can be disposed of free of charge in normal commercial quantities (usually up to 20 modules) at municipal collection points. For larger quantities from commercial installations, manufacturers coordinate collection from recycling centers, for example via service providers. Manufacturers have only been obliged to take back modules since the end of 2015. All obligations for the proper disposal of older modules lie with the owner. The disposal of photovoltaic modules placed on the market before 24.10.2015 represents the greatest challenge with regard to the immediate future, as it involves the larger mass flows that will soon be generated," explained Deutsche Umwelthilfe in its White Paper (PDF).

Read more about the recycling of solar modules at heise+:

Recycling solar modules: Where we stand on PV recycling.

(uk)