Scrap dealer or WEEELABEX centre: who to sell WEEE to?
Short answer: a scrap dealer pays for your WEEE at scrap-metal weight; a WEEELABEX-certified centre such as RECYNEW pays for what it actually contains — and provides the traceability the regulations require. For an individual with a few kilos, the difference is price. For a business it is also compliance: your equipment is regulated waste, not ordinary scrap.
Scrap dealer or certified centre: the comparison
| Criterion | General scrap dealer | WEEELABEX-certified centre (RECYNEW) |
|---|---|---|
| Price basis | Scrap weight / mixed metals | Price list by type: boards, processors, memory, drives — public, dated prices |
| A complete server | Price of sheet steel | Chassis + boards + CPU + RAM valued separately |
| Traceability | Simple weighing slip | Waste tracking note, register, audited route |
| Business compliance | Risk: the holder remains liable | WEEE obligations covered, supporting documents provided |
| Data (drives, servers) | No guarantee | Erasure or destruction with certificate |
What the regulations say
Waste electrical and electronic equipment must go to an approved treatment route, with traceability. The holder remains responsible for its waste until final treatment: selling an IT fleet "as scrap" without a tracking note exposes the company in the event of an inspection. Obligations and penalties are detailed in our guide: WEEE: legal obligations of companies.
What does WEEELABEX certification mean in practice?
WEEELABEX is the European standard for WEEE treatment operators: depollution, recovery rates, traceability and regular audits. Selling to a certified centre guarantees the lot is treated — not exported or landfilled. Our in-depth article: the role of WEEELABEX-certified centres.
And the price, in the end?
This is the counter-intuitive part: the approved route pays better, because it values component reuse before material. Our prices are public and dated: all buyback price lists, with monthly changes in the barometer. The published price is a floor paid to everyone, increased with quantity — per kilo, per pallet or per full truck.
How does a business collection work?
Inventory or photos → firm quote within 48 working hours → on-site collection (pallet or full truck) with tracking note → joint weighing, sorting, fast payment by bank transfer. For a first lot, create a free account: your price list adjusts to your volumes.