UK government announce fairer future for waste electrical recycling

The UK government yesterday introduced important new regulations that will make the waste electrical recycling system fairer for UK registered producers, who have long carried a disproportionate responsibility for managing waste electricals.

Until now, Uk registered producers have been the leading actors in collecting and processing electrical waste, while many overseas sellers using online marketplaces escaped these obligations.

Online marketplaces now required to comply

From today, online marketplaces will be required to meet producer responsibilities for their non-UK based sellers and will need to register with the Environment Agencies to report placed on the market data from their overseas sellers in the UK. This information will be used to calculate the amount of recycling they must fund each year.

The announcement was made by Defra (12 August 2025) as part of the government’s Plan for Change, with these new measures ensuring that all sellers, regardless of location, play their part in the proper collection and recycling of waste electricals, creating a fair, more sustainable system.

New vape category announced 

Alongside the additional requirements for online marketplaces, a new category of electrical equipment for vapes has been introduced to ensure the costs of their collection and treatment fall fairly on those who produce them. Vapes contain valuable and critical materials such as lithium and copper.

Thoughts from waste electrical producer compliance scheme

Laura Crehan, Head of Operations at Ecogenesys, commented: “This is a positive step towards fairness across the electrical waste sector. We have consistently called for an even playing field on behalf of our members.

“At Ecogenesys, we welcome this move towards fairness, sustainability and shared responsibility.”