Advice on disposing of IT equipment

If you are a member of staff who is looking to have unused IT kit re-purposed for use at the University or for complete disposal using the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) system, you have two different routes to take:

  1. Re-purposing the kit: if you think the kit is still fit for purpose and can be used at the University, then please raise a call for support using the IT portal (you will need to log in). After which the Digital Services team will arrange to come and assess it before taking it away to re-purpose it. 
  2. Disposing using our Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) partner: this will need to be arranged by the Estates and facilities team, using this form.

In accordance with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations (WEEE) 2006, the University is required to store, collect, treat, recycle and dispose of WEEE separately from other waste. In addition, it is a requirement to obtain and keep proof that any WEEE is given to a waste management company and treated and disposed of in an environmentally sound way.

Our WEEE partner

The University has a local, environmentally responsible and licensed contractor to handle all the University’s Electrical and Electronic waste. All IT equipment, including decommissioned but still functioning PCs, must be disposed using our WEEE partner. The process of disposal ensures that equipment is completely wiped of data and software by the contractor. It also ensures that any future legal responsibility for the equipment rests with the contractor, and not the University.

The equipment is then either professionally refurbished for use by charities in the UK or more commonly, for use in the developing world. Equipment that is beyond reuse is processed and raw materials extracted and recycled where possible. This is all done at no cost to the University.

Unfortunately, it is not permissible for staff to take old University equipment home or to redeploy them outside of the University.  

Failure on the University’s part to comply with this legislation could result in a substantial fine for the institution and/or its officers.