WEEE compliance for IT recyclers, simplified
Duty of care, evidence notes, waste transfer records and where DWTS fits — the whole WEEE picture in plain English.
WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) compliance is the set of duties that apply when electrical items — including IT hardware — reach end of life. For ITAD operators and their customers, getting it right means the right paperwork, the right treatment routes, and a chain of evidence that holds up.
The core obligations
- WEEE Regulations 2013: electrical waste must be collected, treated and recovered through approved routes, and reported.
- Duty of care: everyone in the chain must ensure waste is handled and passed on responsibly — and can prove it.
- Waste Transfer Notes (WTN): the record for every transfer of controlled waste (now going digital via DWTS).
- Waste carrier registration: anyone transporting waste needs to be a registered carrier.
AATFs and evidence notes
Treatment happens at an Approved Authorised Treatment Facility (AATF), which issues WEEE evidence notes confirming the tonnage and category recovered. A defensible ITAD process aligns its processing with AATF and downstream checks, so the material can be traced to a legitimate, licensed endpoint — not just “taken away”.
Where DWTS fits
What good looks like
- Every device categorised (laptop, PC, monitor…) with tonnage tracked.
- Downstream evidence linked to the collection it came from.
- Waste transfer records (DWTS-ready) for every movement.
- Client dashboards showing waste processed, emissions saved and recycling rates.
How WipeTrail handles it
WipeTrail tracks each device by category and weight, links downstream evidence to the originating collection, produces DWTS-ready waste records, and gives your customers compliance and sustainability reporting they can hand to their own auditors — all in the same system that runs your data destruction and resale.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main WEEE compliance obligations?
Collect, treat and recover electrical waste through approved routes, meet duty of care, issue waste transfer notes, use registered waste carriers, and report tonnages and categories.
What is an AATF evidence note?
An Approved Authorised Treatment Facility issues WEEE evidence notes confirming the tonnage and category of material recovered, providing traceability to a licensed endpoint.
Does WEEE change under Digital Waste Tracking?
WEEE duties do not change, but from October 2026 the movement record moves from the paper Waste Transfer Note to the mandatory Digital Waste Tracking Service.
How does WipeTrail help with WEEE?
It tracks each device by category and weight, links downstream evidence to the originating collection, produces DWTS-ready records, and gives customers compliance and sustainability reporting.
Ready when you are
See WipeTrail on your own kit.
Book a 20-minute demo and we’ll walk the whole flow — collection to certified wipe to resale — and show how fast you could be live before the DWTS deadline.
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