Information on electrical and electronic (old) devices
The following information is intended for private households that use electrical and/or electronic devices. Please note these important instructions in the interests of environmentally friendly disposal of old devices and your own safety.
1. Information on the disposal of electrical and electronic (old) equipment and the meaning of the symbol according to Annex 3 to the ElektroG
Owners of old devices must dispose of them separately from unsorted municipal waste. Old electrical and electronic devices must therefore not be disposed of as unsorted municipal waste and in particular do not belong in household waste. Instead, these old devices must be collected separately and disposed of via local collection and return systems.
Owners of old devices must also separate old batteries and accumulators that are not enclosed in the old device, as well as lamps that can be removed from the old device without causing damage, before handing them in to a collection point.
Using the symbol in Annex 3 to the ElektroG, owners can identify old devices that must be collected separately from unsorted municipal waste at the end of their service life. The symbol for the separate collection of electrical and electronic devices represents a crossed-out wheeled waste bin and is designed as follows:
2. Free return of old equipment by distributors
Distributors (any natural or legal person or partnership that offers or makes available on the market electrical or electronic equipment) with a sales area for electrical and electronic equipment of at least 400 square metres (in the case of sales using means of distance communication instead with storage and shipping areas for electrical and electronic equipment of at least 400 square metres) as well as distributors of foodstuffs with a total sales area of at least 800 square metres who offer and make available on the market electrical and electronic equipment several times a calendar year or permanently (in the case of sales using means of distance communication instead with total storage and shipping areas of at least 800 square metres) are obliged to take back waste electrical and electronic equipment from end users free of charge as follows:
a) Return/Collection when purchasing a new device and delivering it to a private household
When concluding a purchase contract for a new electrical or electronic device, the distributor is obliged to take back an old device of the same type that essentially fulfils the same functions as the new device free of charge.
If the delivery location is a private household, the return will be carried out by means of a free collection. For this purpose, an old device of the same type with essentially the same functions can be handed over to the delivering transport company when the new device is delivered.
If the new device is sold exclusively using distance communication means (Section 312c Paragraph 2 of the German Civil Code), the following applies with restriction:
- The free collection of an old device of the same type and function will only take place if it is a device in category 1 (heat exchangers), 2 (screens, monitors, devices with screens with a surface area of more than 100 square centimeters) and/or 4 (large devices where at least one of the external dimensions is more than 50 centimeters).
- If the old equipment falls into categories 3, 5 and/or 6, there will be no free collection and the following letter b) applies instead for the free return.
An overview of the device categories and the devices recorded in each case can be found here: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/elektrog_2015/anlage_1.html
b) Return when purchasing a new device and returning it elsewhere/return of small devices
When concluding a purchase contract for a new electrical appliance that is not delivered to a private household, and when selling a new appliance in categories 3, 5 and/or 6 exclusively using distance communication means (Section 312c Paragraph 2 of the German Civil Code) with delivery to a private household, it is possible to return an old appliance of the same type that essentially fulfils the same functions as the new appliance to the distributor free of charge.
The same option is available for old devices that are no larger than 25 centimetres in any external dimension, regardless of whether a new electrical or electronic device is purchased. In this case, the end user's option to return old devices to the distributor is limited to 3 devices per device type.
In the case of distribution exclusively using means of distance communication (§ 312c para. 2 BGB), the return takes place under the conditions mentioned above
- of waste equipment of categories 3, 5 and/or 6
- of old appliances that are no larger than 25 centimetres in any external dimension,
through suitable return options within a reasonable distance from the respective end user.
Otherwise, the return will take place at the place of delivery or in the immediate vicinity.
Distributors must have set up suitable return options for this purpose.
3. Information on the options for returning old devices
Owners of old devices can hand them in using the return or collection options set up and available by public waste disposal authorities to ensure that the old devices are disposed of properly. If necessary, electrical and electronic devices can also be handed in there for the purpose of reusing the devices. You can obtain more information about this from the relevant collection or return point.
4. Note on data protection
Old devices to be disposed of sometimes contain sensitive personal data (e.g. on a PC or a smartphone) that must not fall into the hands of third parties.
We expressly point out that end users of old devices are responsible for ensuring that personal data on the old devices to be disposed of are deleted.
5. Note on our WEEE registration number
We are registered with the Stiftung Elektro-Altgeräte Register, Nordostpark 72 in 90411 Nuremberg, as a manufacturer of electrical and/or electronic equipment under the following registration number (WEEE Reg. No. DE): DE 584 186 59
