Information on the disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment

The following information is intended for private households that use electrical and electronic equipment. Please observe this important information for the environmentally sound disposal of old devices and for your own safety. By doing so, you will help to conserve valuable resources and protect the environment.

Legal basis (ElektroG)

In Germany, the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG) regulates the disposal and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). It transposes the European WEEE Directive (2012/19/EU) into national law. The Act aims, among other things, to protect health and the environment from harmful substances released into electrical equipment and to ensure the proper collection, take-back, and recycling of waste equipment . Manufacturers and importers of electrical equipment are required to register with the responsible foundation, ear (Elektro-Altgeräte Register), before placing electrical equipment on the market. As an online retailer, we comply with these obligations and hereby provide you with transparent information about the disposal of your waste equipment.

Disposal and return of old devices

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) must not be disposed of with household waste . According to the German Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG), consumers are obligated to dispose of used electrical appliances separately from unsorted municipal waste . Please take old appliances to a collection point separate from general waste – for example, via municipal collection points. Batteries and rechargeable batteries that are not permanently installed in the device must be removed before disposal . (Note: Batteries also do not belong in household waste; please return them separately to collection points or retailers.) This ensures that all components are properly recycled or disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.

Where to dispose of old appliances? You have several free options for disposing of your old appliance in an environmentally friendly way:

• Municipal collection points: Public waste management authorities (city/municipality) provide collection and recycling centers where you can drop off old electrical appliances free of charge . Proper recycling or disposal of the old appliances is guaranteed there. An online directory of local collection and take-back points can be found on the ear Foundation website.
• Electronics retailers: Larger retailers and electronics stores are legally obligated to take back certain old devices free of charge (for stores with a sales area of ​​400 m² or more, or correspondingly for online retailers). Many supermarkets and discount stores that carry electronics also offer take-back programs. If in doubt, check directly with the retailer to find out if and which devices they accept.

Note: Our online shop does not offer its own take-back service for old devices . Please dispose of your old device via the municipal collection points or return options mentioned above. If you have any questions about disposal, please feel free to contact us. Thank you for your understanding and your cooperation with recycling – by doing so, you are making a valuable contribution to environmental protection!

Meaning of the symbol "crossed-out trash can"

What does the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol mean? This symbol, printed on our electrical appliances, indicates that the appliance in question must not be disposed of with household waste . Instead, at the end of its service life, the appliance should be collected separately from unsorted municipal waste and recycled or disposed of properly. The crossed-out wheeled bin thus reminds consumers that old electrical appliances must be taken to suitable collection points . According to the German Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG), this symbol is visibly, recognizably, and permanently affixed to electrical and electronic equipment and serves as a reminder of the legal obligation for separate disposal.

(Image: Symbol of the crossed-out waste bin according to Annex 3 ElektroG)

Data protection notice regarding disposal

Please remember to delete personal data from old devices before disposing of them. Sensitive personal data may still be stored on devices such as smartphones, computers, or other digital storage devices. For your own protection, you should permanently remove all private data and any saved settings before handing in the old device. This ensures that no confidential information falls into the wrong hands. Tip: If possible, reset electronic devices to factory settings or use suitable data erasure software.

Our WEEE registration

We are registered with the German Electrical and Electronic Equipment Register Foundation (stiftung ear) , Nordostpark 72, 90411 Nuremberg, as a manufacturer of electrical and/or electronic equipment under the following registration number (WEEE Reg. No. DE): 10448850. This WEEE number confirms our proper registration and complies with the requirements of the German Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG). Therefore, please dispose of our devices only via the methods described above – we ensure that the disposal systems for the products we place on the market are financially supported and comply with the law.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR BATTERY AND ACTUATOR DISPOSAL

Our devices contain rechargeable batteries. In connection with the sale of batteries or rechargeable batteries, we are obligated under the German Battery Act (BattG) to inform our customers of the following:

Return of used batteries

Batteries and rechargeable batteries must not be disposed of with household waste . End users are legally obligated to return used batteries and rechargeable batteries to a suitable collection point. They can also be returned to public collection points or retailers.

Meaning of the symbols

Batteries and rechargeable batteries are marked with the symbol of a crossed-out trash can . This symbol means that batteries must not be disposed of in household waste.

The following chemical names may also appear below the symbol:

• Hg = contains more than 0.0005% mercury by mass
• Cd = contains more than 0.002% cadmium by mass
• Pb = contains more than 0.004% lead by mass

These markings indicate that the battery contains particular pollutants.

Thank you for your support in the environmentally sound disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment!