WEEE regulations for businesses: disposing of IT equipment legally

Updated 6 November 2026 · By the IT Equipment Disposal team

Short answer: Under the UK WEEE Regulations 2013 and the waste Duty of Care, businesses must not put computers, monitors, phones or other electronics in general waste. Old IT must go to a registered waste carrier and a permitted treatment facility, with a waste transfer note for non-hazardous items and a consignment note for hazardous items such as CRT monitors and some batteries in England and Wales. Reuse is preferred over recycling where equipment still works.

Your legal duties

Keep WEEE separate from general waste
Use a registered waste carrier and check the waste goes to a permitted facility
Complete a waste transfer note for non-hazardous WEEE and keep it for at least two years
Use a consignment note for hazardous WEEE in England and Wales and keep it for at least three years
Protect any data on the equipment until it is destroyed

Hazardous and non-hazardous IT

Item	Usually classed as
Laptops, desktops, servers, network kit	Non-hazardous WEEE
Modern LED-backlit flat screen monitors	Non-hazardous WEEE
CRT monitors and older CCFL-backlit flat screens	Hazardous WEEE
Lead-acid UPS batteries	Hazardous waste
Lithium batteries removed from devices	Need separate safe handling

Can the supplier take it back?

In some cases, yes. When you buy new equipment that replaces old equipment of the same type, the producer of the new equipment may be responsible for taking back the old items. In practice many businesses find it simpler to use one provider for collection, data destruction and recycling.

Reuse first

The waste hierarchy puts reuse before recycling. Working equipment that has been securely wiped can be refurbished and resold or donated, which is better for the environment and can reduce the cost of disposal.