WEEE and Batteries Regulations and Obligations

WEEE

Electrical and electronic waste may contain materials that could harm the environment.  If those items end up as municipal waste or are disposed of without pre-treatment, they could pollute the ground, water, and air around us. That is why it is important to dispose properly of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

In certain European countries, OPEX may be required under applicable law to finance the collection, treatment, recycling and/or recovery of certain new electrical and electronic equipment that we sold to customers after 13 August 2005, when that equipment eventually becomes waste.

OPEX may also be required in certain European countries to finance the collection, treatment, recycling, and recovery of certain older (pre-13 Aug 2005) electrical and electronic equipment when a customer purchases new electrical and electronic equipment from OPEX that provides a one-for-one, like-for-like replacement.

Accordingly, OPEX has registered as a WEEE producer in those countries listed under “WEEE Collection & Recycling Information” below.  All WEEE that OPEX handles in those countries is classified as business-to-business (B2B) equipment.

Recycling can be simple and help the environment, as some of the recovered materials may be reusable.  To remind purchasers to dispose of WEEE properly, eligible electrical and electronic goods carry a crossed-out wheelie bin symbol:

To return the above-referenced OPEX equipment displaying the WEEE symbol (crossed-out wheelie bin) for treatment and recycling purposes, please contact us as set forth under “OPEX Contact Information” below.  Please note that OPEX, where and to the extent permitted by law, requires that customers finance the collection, transportation, treatment, recycling, recovery and other expenses related to the disposal of WEEE.  Please contact us as set forth under “Contact Information” below for further details.

WEEE Collection & Recycling

In order to comply with WEEE mandates, OPEX has registered as a ‘producer’ in the following European countries:

Industrial Batteries Collection & Recycling

In some European countries, OPEX equipment may be provided with what are classified under applicable law as ‘industrial batteries’.   In such cases, OPEX may be obliged to collect, treat, and/or recycle such industrial batteries.

Without limiting the above, OPEX, in the United Kingdom, is a producer of industrial batteries pursuant to the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009.  More specifically, OPEX supplies, for use with certain models of our equipment, lead-acid based batteries, weighing four kilograms or more, installed within uninterruptible power supply (UPS) devices. OPEX is obliged in the UK to take back, free of charge, for treatment and recycling such waste industrial batteries supplied to customers, and OPEX is required to do this in any calendar year in which OPEX places new industrial batteries on the UK market.  If any of OPEX’s UK customers, or in certain cases other UK end-users, require OPEX to take back industrial batteries, they should contact OPEX using the “Contact Information” for the United Kingdom provided below. OPEX will make the required arrangements for the return, proper treatment, and recycling of the waste industrial batteries.

In order to comply with Batteries-related mandates generally, OPEX has registered in the following European countries:

If you have any other questions about our obligations concerning industrial batteries, please contact us as set forth under “Contact Information” below, prior to disposing of industrial batteries.

OPEX Contact Information

If you intend to dispose of your OPEX WEEE bearing the WEEE symbol (crossed out wheelie bin), or if intend to dispose of any industrial batteries included in the equipment sold to you by OPEX (where applicable), please contact us for further information, as set forth below.  When you contact OPEX, please have in hand the applicable equipment model(s), the serial number for each unit, and a copy of your contract with OPEX.