Information on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
The following information is intended for private households that use electrical and/or electronic devices. Please observe these important instructions for the environmentally sound disposal of old devices and for your own safety.
1. Information on the disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment and the meaning of the symbol according to Annex 3 of the German Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG).
Owners of old electrical and electronic equipment must dispose of it separately from unsorted municipal waste. Waste electrical and electronic equipment must therefore not be disposed of as unsorted municipal waste and, in particular, does not belong in household waste. Instead, this waste equipment must be collected separately and disposed of via local collection and return systems.
Owners of old devices must also remove old batteries and accumulators that are not enclosed in the old device, as well as lamps that can be removed from the old device without damage, before handing it over to a collection point.
Owners can identify old electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) that must be collected separately from unsorted municipal waste at the end of its service life by means of the symbol shown in Annex 3 of the German Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG). The symbol for the separate collection of electrical and electronic equipment is a crossed-out wheeled waste bin and is designed as follows:
2. Free take-back of old devices by distributors
Distributors (any natural or legal person or partnership that offers or makes available electrical or electronic equipment on the market) with a sales area for electrical and electronic equipment of at least 400 square meters (or, in the case of distribution using means of distance communication, with storage and shipping areas for electrical and electronic equipment of at least 400 square meters) and distributors of food products with a total sales area of at least 800 square meters who offer and make available electrical and electronic equipment on the market several times a calendar year or permanently (or, in the case of distribution using means of distance communication, with total storage and shipping areas of at least 800 square meters) are obligated to take back waste electrical and electronic equipment free of charge from end users as follows:
a. Return/collection when purchasing a new device and delivery to a private household
When a purchase agreement is concluded for a new electrical or electronic device, the distributor is obliged to take back, free of charge, an old device of the same type that essentially fulfills the same functions as the new device.
If the delivery location is a private household, the return will be arranged via free collection. For this purpose, an old device of the same type with essentially the same functions can be handed over to the delivering transport company when the new device is delivered.
If the new device is sold exclusively using means of distance communication (§ 312c para. 2 BGB), the following restrictions apply:
- Free collection of an old device of the same type and function is only possible if it is a device of category 1 (heat exchangers), 2 (screens, monitors, devices with screens with a surface area of more than 100 square centimeters) and/or 4 (large appliances where at least one of the external dimensions is more than 50 centimeters).
- If, instead, the device is an old device of category 3, 5 and/or 6, free collection will not take place and instead the following letter b) applies for free return.
An overview of the device categories and the devices covered by each can be found here: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/elektrog_2015/anlage_1.html
b. Return when purchasing a new device and dropping off elsewhere/return of small devices
When concluding a purchase agreement for a new electrical appliance that is not delivered to a private household, and when a new appliance of categories 3, 5 and/or 6 is sold exclusively using means of distance communication (§ 312c para. 2 BGB) with delivery to a private household, there is the possibility of returning an old appliance of the same type, which essentially fulfills the same functions as the new appliance, to the distributor free of charge.
The same option exists, regardless of whether a new electrical or electronic device is purchased, for old devices that do not exceed 25 centimeters in any external dimension. In this case, the return option for end users to the distributor is limited to 3 old devices per device type.
In the case of sales exclusively using means of distance communication (§ 312c para. 2 BGB), the return is possible under the aforementioned conditions.
- from old devices of categories 3, 5 and/or 6
- of old devices that are no larger than 25 centimeters in any external dimension,
through suitable return options within a reasonable distance of the respective end user.
Otherwise, the item will be returned to the place of drop-off or in its immediate vicinity.
Distributors must have set up suitable return options for this purpose.
3. Information on the options for returning old devices
Owners of old electrical and electronic equipment can return it to the collection points or recycling facilities provided by public waste management authorities to ensure its proper disposal. In some cases, it may also be possible to return electrical and electronic equipment for reuse. Further information is available from the respective collection or recycling point.
4. Data protection notice
Some old devices that are to be disposed of contain sensitive personal data (such as on a PC or a smartphone) that must not fall into the hands of third parties.
We expressly point out that end users of old devices are responsible for deleting personal data on the old devices to be disposed of.
5. Note regarding our WEEE registration number
We are registered with the German Electrical and Electronic Equipment Register Foundation (Stiftung Elektro-Altgeräte Register), Nordostpark 72 in 90411 Nuremberg, as a manufacturer of electrical and/or electronic equipment under the following registration number (WEEE Reg. No. DE): DE61721241