Return of old devices

Electrical and electronic equipment – information for private households

The German Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG) contains a number of requirements for the handling of electrical and electronic equipment. The most important ones are summarized here.  

Separate collection of waste equipment
Electrical and electronic equipment that has become waste is referred to as waste equipment. Owners of waste equipment must dispose of it separately from unsorted municipal waste. In particular, waste equipment must not be disposed of in household waste, but in special collection and return systems.

 

Batteries and rechargeable batteries
Owners of waste equipment must generally separate old batteries and rechargeable batteries that are not enclosed in the waste equipment before handing them in at a collection point. This does not apply if the waste equipment is handed in to public waste disposal authorities and separated there for the purpose of preparing it for reuse from other waste equipment.

Options for returning old appliances
Owners of old appliances from private households can hand them in at collection points run by public waste disposal authorities or at collection points set up by manufacturers or distributors in accordance with the ElektroG. 

Data protection notice
Waste equipment often contains sensitive personal data. This applies in particular to information and telecommunications technology equipment such as computers and smartphones. In your own interest, please note that each end user is responsible for deleting the data on the waste equipment to be disposed of.

Meaning of the “crossed-out wheelie bin” symbol
The symbol of a crossed-out wheelie bin, which is regularly displayed on electrical and electronic equipment, indicates that the respective device must be collected separately from unsorted municipal waste at the end of its service life. 

Further information
We are a member of the “take-e-way” take-back system. Further information can be found at Information obligations in accordance with Section 18 (2) of the German Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act