Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) treatment facilities

WEEE treatment facilities

Last updated 28/2/2024

The (WEEE) Regulations also apply to businesses in the waste management industry that operate WEEE treatment facilities.

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Waste Management Licensing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 came into force on 5 January 2007 and deal with the site licensing and WEEE treatment requirements of the WEEE Directive.

The regulations include three additional exemptions from waste management licensing. These cover:

• storage of WEEE
• repair/refurbishment of WEEE
• lamp crushing prior to recovery

These exemptions need to be registered with the NIEA and are subject to certain restrictions.A prospective operator must send our Waste Management Licensing team a Waste Management Licence or Exemption from Waste ManaThe publi

gement Licensing. An operator will also need to ensure that the site has appropriate planning permission.

• Waste Management Licence 
• Exemption from Waste Management Licensing

Treating WEEE

In order to treat WEEE, they will need to put in place the necessary equipment and processes that allow the WEEE to be treated to the required standard and in a way that does not cause harm to the environment, workers or people living nearby. A site that is appropriately licensed to treat WEEE is known as an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) for WEEE.

An operator of a treatment facility that has the necessary ATF licence can apply to be approved. Approved Authorised Treatment Facilities (AATFs) are able to issue evidence of WEEE treatment and recovery. This evidence is required by Producer Compliance Schemes to show that they have met their obligations under the WEEE Regulations. There will be a similar approval process for exporters of WEEE for treatment or recovery.

Exporting WEEE

Exporting any waste for disposal is prohibited. The export of WEEE for recovery is permitted but is controlled by the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations (2007). These controls depend on the classification of the waste and the destination country. Many waste types require formal notification before the waste is allowed to leave the UK.

Hazardous WEEE cannot be exported for recovery to countries outside the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Televisions and monitors with cathode ray tubes are examples of WEEE classified as hazardous waste. Some of the components and materials derived from treating hazardous WEEE will themselves be classified as hazardous waste. Most permitted exports to non-OECD countries are subject to notification under the Waste Shipments Regulations.

Application forms to be an Approved ATF or an Approved Exporter of WEEE are available below.

• Approved ATF application form (WMP5)
• Approved Exporter application form (WMP6)

Quarterly returns and issuing WEEE evidence

Quarterly returns are required to be submitted by both AATFs and AEs.  These are now submitted online via the WEEE Online Service, through which WEEE evidence must also be issued. 

• https://weee.service.gov.uk/

Approved Authorised Treatment Facilities and Approved Exporters of WEEE 2024

The public register is periodically updated to reflect any changes to the status of approved ATFs or approved exporters, but may not be up to date at any given time. Therefore, it remains the responsibility of all schemes to exercise due diligence in ensuring that the evidence they obtain is valid and that it has been issued by an ATF or exporter who is approved.

If you have any questions, you should contact:

• WEEE team

An Authorised Treatment Facility or Approved Exporter that handles 400 tonnes or less is defined as "Small" and over 400 tonnes as "Large"

NIEA - Approved Authorised Treatment Facility (AATF) Operators - 2024

Approved Exporters (AEs) 2024

Other relevent articles 

• NIEA Guidance on Single Use Vape Collection and Treatment
• Note on single use (disposable) vapes new in-store takeback obligation