News SimplerWEEE Firms urged to act now over electronic waste recycling Growing commercial e-waste specialist Intelligent Waste Management Ltd (iWaste) has urged businesses to act now to future-proof their electronic waste management before they are compelled to do so by legislation. The company has launched a new recycling service for businesses in anticipation of the Government tightening rules on electronic waste. iWaste, which is based in Reading, is getting a head start by offering its SimplerWEEE initiative. This service is designed for businesses that require Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling. This follows the Government’s new workplace Simpler Recycling regulations which came into force on March 31 for all businesses, charities and public sector organisations with more than 10 employees. The guidance, backed by potential enforcement action by the Environment Agency, stipulates that all workplaces in England must separate their waste before it is collected, including any waste produced by employees, customers and visitors. Crucially, this does not currently include electronic waste but iWaste’s Operations Director Sam Mountain is urging businesses to get ahead of the game by visiting www.simplerweee.co.uk and signing up for the nationwide SimplerWEEE scheme now. He said: “Our view is that WEEE recycling will become a mandatory part of the Simpler Recycling directive within the coming years, meaning that it will need to be stored separately before collection. “The Government is seeking ways to reduce the amount of electronic waste sent to landfill, incinerated, dumped or left lying around in premises and make a further move towards the goal of a circular economy. “In the UK we generate around 1.6 million tonnes of WEEE annually and it is estimated that less than one-third of e-waste is collected for recycling. This situation simply cannot be tolerated for the good of the planet. “Therefore, it is highly likely we will get new e-waste regulations and smaller businesses will be scrambling around to seek solutions. Our SimplerWEEE enterprise will allow them to get processes in place in advance to give them an eco-friendly, future-proofed solution for dealing with waste electronics.” SimplerWEEE introduces a modern, efficient approach that eliminates the need for time-consuming phone calls and complex arrangements. Businesses select a WEEE bin size (from 20 litres upwards) to suit their needs from the dedicated SimplerWEEE website, add artwork, choose a collection frequency and agree to a flexible subscription model with a minimum of two exchanges per year. Everything is done digitally with no need for time-consuming phone calls or meetings. Then businesses can start disposing of electronic and electrical waste – any WEEE-compliant items – responsibly, including computers, accessories, mobile phones, tablets, small appliances, circuit boards and cables inside. When the bin is full, the business submits a request and the iWaste team collects the bin promptly and ensures that all electronic waste is processed in line with environmental regulations – prioritising reuse, refurbishment, and responsible recycling – before providing the customer with documentation confirming compliance with legislation. Sam added: “Our mission is to revolutionise the way businesses handle WEEE by providing a seamless, compliant, and environmentally responsible solution which involves no hassle, time-consuming phone calls or paperwork. “We can offer SimplerWEEE at an affordable cost, a monthly subscription which gives peace of mind, because we will collect the bins – anywhere in mainland England, Scotland and Wales – during iWaste’s routine collection routes and won’t need dedicated journeys. “Our service is designed for businesses seeking a straightforward way to meet their environmental responsibilities without unnecessary complexity, offering effortless compliance, a user-friendly process and sustainably-focused flexible solutions. “Traditional WEEE disposal methods are often cumbersome and outdated. SimplerWEEE introduces a modern, efficient approach that eliminates the need for complex arrangements.” The company is set to develop SimplerWEEE further by introducing an partnership programme which will enable waste companies to join so the service can be extended to them and their customers. This is a natural extension of iWaste’s existing work with UK waste brokers and regional commercial waste contractors. iWaste, which employs 35 people and is based at Arborfield Cross, near Reading, was established in 2013, and has since invested heavily in infrastructure, vans, people and a bespoke, cloud-based management portal which drove an ambitious move to a paperless operation. Last year the company was granted permission to increase the amount of WEEE it can treat by 2,400%, securing a permit from the Environment Agency to handle 25,000 tonnes of WEEE each year. Earlier this year iWaste celebrated a significant moment, its 40,000th job booking and also acquired a new 18-tonne lorry which enables it to carry more e-waste recycling with fewer road journeys, aligning with the company’s green credentials. www.simplerweee.co.uk BIN DAY: Sam Mountain, iWaste’s Operations Director, with the huge range of new recycling bins used in the firm’s new SimplerWEEE initiative