WEEE and Battery Information

Recycling your Waste Electrical or Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

If you are buying a new electrical item, we will recycle your old one for free! The Works offers our customers a free take-back of WEEE on a like-for-like basis when you buy a new Electrical or Electronic product from us at any of our stores. For example, if you bought a new x from us, we would accept your old x and prevent it going into a landfill site by disposing of it safely. Customers must return their WEEE item to us within 28 days of purchasing their new item. Please speak to a member of staff for details on how to dispose of your WEEE.

Why Recycle?

Unwanted electrical equipment is the UK’s fastest growing type of waste. Many electrical items can be repaired or recycled, saving natural resources and the environment. If you do not recycle, electrical equipment will end up in landfill where hazardous substances will leak out and cause soil and water contamination – harming wildlife and human health.

Crossed out wheeled-bin symbol

To remind you that old electrical equipment can be recycled, it is now marked with a crossed-out wheeled bin symbol. Please do not throw any electrical equipment (including those marked with the crossed out wheeled bin symbol) in your bin.

WEEE Symbol
Recycling your batteries

Under the Waste Battery Regulations, The Works offer free battery recycling at all stores through our battery collection boxes, as long as they are of equivalent type to that sold by us, with no requirement from the consumer to purchase new batteries! You can recycle all household batteries including AA, AAA and 9v batteries, rechargeable batteries and batteries from:

  • mobile phones
  • laptops
  • hearing aids
  • watches
  • portable cameras
  • torches
  • electric toothbrushes
  • razors
  • hand-held vacuum cleaners

Unfortunately, we do not take back car and motorbike batteries or batteries from industrial equipment, e.g. Lead Acid batteries. These can be taken to your local Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs), please contact your local council for more advice. Alternatively, you can find your local waste portable battery recycling facility where you can also return your batteries free of charge at www.recyclenow.com in the UK or www.weeeireland.ie in the Republic of Ireland.

United Kingdom

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive requires UK distributors to maximise separate collection and environmentally friendly processing of WEEE. UK distributors (including retailers) are required to provide a system which allows all customers buying new electrical equipment the opportunity to recycle their old items free of charge. As a responsible retailer, we have met these requirements by offering all customers buying new electrical and electronic equipment free take back of their old electricals on a like for like basis. Waste batteries including rechargeable batteries are taken back free of charge. You are not obliged to make any purchase when returning old batteries. Your local participating Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) will also accept old electrical equipment from TV's, DVD players, power tools and electrical toys. To find a further list of recycling points for your WEEE or batteries please visit www.recyclenow.com.

UK WEEE Producer Compliance Scheme Registration Number: WEE/MM6433AA

UK Battery Producer Compliance Scheme Registration Number BPRN11116

Republic of Ireland

The Works will take back your WEEE on a one-for-one, like-for-like basis, free of charge. WEEE and waste batteries can also be returned to your local civic amenity site free of charge. To find a further list of recycling points for your WEEE or batteries please visit www.weeeireland.ie

Never put WEEE, batteries or light bulbs in any of your bins.

Republic of Ireland WEEE & Battery Producer Compliance Scheme Registration Number: IE 03713WB

Republic of Ireland European Recycling Platform Producer Compliance Scheme Member ID: 0845