Free disposal of electrical and electronic waste
Have you purchased a new electrical or electronic product? European rules state you may hand in your old appliance with the (online) retailer free of charge. Through these rules, the EU hopes to stimulate the recycling of e-waste, such as coffee makers, televisions and computers.
Returning old appliances
Web shops must provide at least one of the following options to collect discarded appliances. They may:
- Pick up the discarded appliance upon delivery of the new product
- Pick up the discarded appliance at a later moment
- Ask you to send back the appliance yourself at no extra costs
Shops must provide information
A web shop must state clear information on the website about your right to return old appliances free of charge. This information should be shared before the purchase of a new product takes place. This should provide you with the necessary opportunity to make preparations for sending back the old product.
Enforcement of the rules
In the Netherlands, the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) is tasked with supervising whether web shops abide by these rules. Did a web shop not provide you with adequate information about returning discarded electrical or electronic appliances? Or did the shop not provide any means of returning e-waste? You can report this through the ILT website. The ILT can perform checks to make sure everyone plays by the rules.
Waste collection points
Another way of disposing of old household appliances is by bringing them to a municipal waste collection site. Often, this is the even more environmentally friendly option. How these collection sites operate will differ per municipality. Contact your municipality to learn more about waste collection points in your area.
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