Energy and Environment

With warm weather the production of WEEE waste increases: from the Ecolamp consortium a decalogue with tips and advice for purchases

The initiative comes from the Consortium established in 2004 and dedicated to the collection and treatment of end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment

9 July 2025

2' min read

In hot weather, the production of WEEE waste increases. That is, the panorama of items ranging from air conditioners to mini fans with Usb plugs to freezers. For this reason, the Ecolamp consortium, a non-profit organisation set up in 2004 and dedicated to the collection and treatment of electrical and electronic equipment that has reached the end of its life, proposes a mini-decalogue with some practical advice for recognising and disposing of this waste.

The fan is a WEEE

Just to start, the decalogue explains that "everything that runs on electricity and comes to the end of its life is a WEEE". The most common wastes in this category are fans, fixed and portable air conditioners, mini USB devices, dehumidifiers, small camping coolers and more generally all those products that require electricity or batteries for their proper functioning.

5 groupings

The consortium indicates 5 groupings of WEEE. These range from the cold category (from refrigerators to freezers), to the 'Large Whites' which include washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, cooking appliances, electric stoves, microwave ovens. Then there are screen appliances, TVs and monitors and, finally, small appliances such as irons and mobile phones, as well as electronic, digital and lighting appliances. Photovoltaic panels are also included in this grouping. Finally, Light Sources, which include a range of items from low-pressure sodium vapour lamps to LED lamps.

4,200 collection points throughout Italy

One of the suggestions of the Consortium's managers is to "handle WEEE well even during the holidays". This is why it is always suggested to refer to the collection centres. In Italy there are 4.2 thousand WEEE collection centres where citizens can go. "Thanks to the Ecolamp service," say the Consortium, which today brings together more than 400 producers of electrical and electronic equipment, "it is possible to find the nearest Collection Centre at the link WEEE Collection Centres - Consumers | Ecolamp".

Among other advice, that of not dismantling the waste equipment because "it is forbidden by law". "If still working," the Consortium emphasises, "appliances can be donated to schools, associations or third sector organisations for reuse.

In-store delivery

As far as take-back and disposal are concerned, the modalities are different: there is the "1 against 1" modality, where in exchange for the purchase of an equivalent new product, all retail outlets "are obliged to accept the delivery of a WEEE". "This free modality applies to WEEE of any size," the Consortium emphasises, "and is also valid for online shops. Then there is what is called 'Mode 1 versus 0'. In this case, "it is possible to deliver small WEEE (with a maximum side length of 25 cm) free of charge at the point of sale, without any obligation to purchase," underlines the Ecolamp vademecum. "This obligation applies to shops with a sales area dedicated to electrical and electronic equipment of more than 400 square metres, but it can also be offered by smaller shops.

Purchasing tricks

A tip from the Consortium's experts concerns the product purchasing phase. "Ecolamp's advice is to always choose quality, longer-lasting and energy-efficient products," he concludes, "with the double advantage of reducing the environmental impact both in energy consumption and waste production.