IKEA | Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

Recycling of electrical and electronic equipment

From July 1st 2007 you will be able to return any old electrical item you have for recycling free of charge to any of the Designated Collection Facilities (DCFs) listed on www.recycle-more.co.uk or telephone 0845 0682 572. More DCFs will be added over time so even if there is not one local to you now there soon will be.

In accordance with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive and IKEA’s own Environmental Strategy, IKEA UK has agreed the following statement and actions.

IKEA’s Sustainability Direction states that, "the IKEA business shall have an overall positive impact on people and the environment". This is IKEA’s long term goal and one which helps frame part of our decision making process every single day.

This means, "As a business we will have both a positive and a negative impact on people and the environment when we analyse individual issues. Long term, however, we are convinced that it is fully possible to have a balance with more positive than negative impacts, as step by step we implement better solutions and alternatives. Thereby we move in the direction of sustainability."

There are many goals that the Sustainability Direction provides us with. However, with regards to Products and Materials the following are most important for IKEA and must be met by end 2009:

• 75% of renewable materials used in our home furnishing products (weight).
• 90% of waste sorted for recycling and/or energy recovery at stores, warehouses and Swedwood units.
• 75% Store Recovery index.

Meeting and exceeding the demands of the WEEE Directive means; that our products should be as recyclable as possible and that none of IKEA’s WEEE should go to landfill, so meeting the demands of the WEEE Directive, and; that we safety test and sell as much of our damaged EEE as possible before recycling is considered. The latter measure (reduce/re-use) exceeds the demands of the Directive.

IKEA UK has additionally decided to treat all ‘household luminaries’, which become damaged in-store, as WEEE. This is another example of IKEA UK exceeding the terms of the WEEE Directive and will help us meet our own stringent demands for in-store Recovery and Recycling rates.

IKEA UK, in conjunction with other retailers, and as part of the Valpak Compliance Scheme, has made a market-share based contribution to the expansion and upgrade of Designated Collection Facilities (DCF’s) throughout the UK.

From August 1st 2005 all electrical products that can be recycled will carry the crossed out wheelie bin symbol (right) to help you to remember to recycle end of life electrical items.

WEEE Certificate
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