LONDON – Britain said on Tuesday it would soon make online marketplaces such as Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) pay more towards the cost of recycling waste electrical items from toasters to hair curlers.
The environment ministry said it wanted to level the playing field for UK-based firms that currently shoulder the majority of costs around the collection and processing of electrical waste.
“With 100,000 tonnes of household electricals binned every year, the changes will for the first time make sure the burden of these costs does not unduly fall on UK-based retailers compared to their online rivals,” it said.
Under the government’s plans, which will be subject to consultation, online marketplaces will have to register with the Environment Agency and report data on UK sales of their overseas sellers.
This data will then be used to calculate the financial contribution the online marketplace will make towards the costs of collection and treatment of waste electricals that are collected by local authorities.
“Amazon is committed to minimizing waste and helping our customers to reuse, repair, and recycle their products,” a spokesperson for Amazon said.
The spokesperson said customers can recycle electronics through trade-in and home collection services on its website, while it also works closely with many major repair partners.
eBay has been asked for comment.
The environment ministry also said a new category of electrical equipment for vapes would be introduced to ensure that the costs of collecting and treating vapes fall fairly on those who produce them.
