Guidance

Transporting small mixed waste electrical equipment

Updated 16 January 2026

How to transport small mixed waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) from designated collection facilities or electrical retailers to intermediate processing facilities. Designated collection facilities include household recycling centres.

This guidance does not cover the transport of small mixed WEEE from bring banks or WEEE collected as part of kerbside collection rounds. Bring banks are recycling collection containers located in car parks and on streets where the public can deposit recyclable materials.

This guidance does not apply to the transport by sea from any of the islands, Shetland, Orkney, Inner and Outer Hebrides, Mull, Isle of Man, The Channel Islands (not an exhaustive list). Nor to and from Northern Ireland as such transports come under the auspices of the current edition of the IMDG code of practice.

Small mixed WEEE (SMW) comprises of a wide range of waste electrical items including:

• small household appliances
• IT and communications equipment
• powered tools, toys and sports equipment
• medical devices
• control instruments
• smoke detectors and dispensers
• electronic cigarettes / vapes

The list does not include other WEEE items, which should be either separately collected or taken to designated collection facilities that can accept, such items. For example:  

• cathode ray tube and flat-screen televisions and monitors
• refrigeration equipment
• large domestic appliances
• fluorescent lamps

Thermal runaway

SMW from WEEE may contain lithium-ion, lithium metal batteries or sodium ion batteries in an unknown condition. For example, damaged or defective, i.e. scorch marks, evidence of the electrolyte having leaked or the case having bulged / expanded. Under certain conditions, these batteries may discharge their stored electrical energy in an event known as a thermal runaway.

Thermal runaway of lithium-ion batteries is the phenomenon of chain exothermic reactions within the battery. These reactions cause a sharp rise in the internal battery temperature causing the inner structures of the battery to destabilise and degrade, which eventually leads to the failure of the battery.

For SMW deposited at designated collection facilities, a reduction in the potential severity of an incident resulting from thermal runaway can be achieved by site operators using signage to encourage members of the public where possible to:

• remove the batteries from their waste electrical and electronic equipment
• put loose batteries and battery packs in dedicated receptacles

Staff at these collection sites should be trained in the appropriate segregation of waste, including SMW and be vigilant for the presence of batteries, removing them where practical and safe to do so and in conducting regular visual inspections of the contents of where the waste electrical items have been deposited, to ensure there is no evidence of smoke, heat or flames and what action to take in the event of such a potentially dangerous occurrence. 

Weight of SMW

Previous studies that were funded by Defra have indicated approximately 0.06% by weight of SMW being carried from designated collection facilities to intermediate processing facilities is comprised of batteries of all types, not just lithium-ion batteries.

Even assuming a worst-case scenario that all batteries are lithium-ion batteries, a typical 2-tonne load of SMW will contain about 1.2kg of lithium-ion battery. An average laptop battery weighs 270g, so therefore a 2-tonne load might contain about 4 such batteries or 6 in a 3-tonne load.

How to report fires

You must report a serious incident resulting from the presence of lithium-ion batteries to the Dangerous Goods Unit at the Department of Transport – dangerousgoods@dft.gov.uk.

Chapter 1.8, subsection 1.8.5 of ADR contains the definition of ‘serious’.

Depending on where the incident takes place, reporting is the responsibility of either:

• the consignor – local authority, electrical retailer
• the carrier – waste contractor(s)
• the consignee – the intermediate processing facility

Lithium batteries are responsible for approximately 48% (over 200) of all waste fires occurring in the UK each year with a cost of £158 million annually to waste operators, the emergency services and the environment.

ADR and special provision 670

The transport of lithium cells and batteries and sodium ion cells and batteries installed in equipment from private households collected and handed over for carriage for depollution, dismantling, recycling or disposal is subject to special provision 670 of the ADR.

ADR special provision 670 states:

670 (a) Lithium cells or batteries and sodium ion cells and batteries installed in equipment from private households collected and handed over for carriage for depollution, dismantling, recycling or disposal are not subject to the other provisions of ADR including special provision 376 and paragraph 2.2.9.1.7.1 and 2.2.9.1.7.2 when:

• They are not the main power source for the operation of the equipment in which they are contained;
• The equipment in which they are contained does not contain any other lithium cell or battery or sodium ion cell or battery used as the main power source; and
• They are afforded protection by the equipment in which they are contained.

Examples for cells and batteries covered by this paragraph are button cells used for data integrity in household appliances (like refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers) or in other electrical or electronic equipment.

(b) Up to the intermediate processing facility lithium cells and batteries and sodium ion cells and batteries contained in equipment from private households not meeting the requirements of (a) collected and handed over for carriage for depollution, dismantling, recycling or disposal are not subject to the other provisions of RID/ADR/ADN including special provision 376 and paragraph 2.2.9.1.7.1 and 2.2.9.1.7.2 if the following conditions are met:

(i) The equipment is packed in accordance with packing instruction P909 of 4.1.4.1 except for the additional requirements 1 and 2; or the equipment is packed in strong outer packagings, e.g. specially designed collection receptacles, which meet the following requirements:

• The packagings shall be constructed of suitable material and be of adequate strength and design in relation to the packaging capacity and its intended use. The packagings need not meet the requirements of 4.1.1.3;

• Appropriate measures shall be taken to minimize the damage of the equipment when filling and handling the packaging, e.g. use of rubber mats; and

• The packagings shall be constructed and closed so as to prevent any loss of contents during carriage, e.g. by lids, strong inner liners, covers for transport. Openings designed for filling are acceptable if they are constructed as so to prevent loss of content.

(ii)  A quality assurance system is in place to ensure that the total amount of lithium cells or batteries and sodium ion cells and batteries per transport unit does not exceed 333kg;

NOTE: The total quantity of lithium cells and batteries in the equipment from private households may be assessed by means of a statistical method included in the quality assurance system. A copy of the quality assurance records shall be made available to the competent authority upon request.

(iii) Packages are marked “LITHIUM BATTERIES FOR DISPOSAL”, “LITHIUM BATTERIES FOR RECYCLING”, “SODIUM ION BATTERIES FOR DISPOSAL” OR “SODIUM ION BATTERIES FOR RECYCLING” as appropriate. If equipment containing lithium cells or batteries or sodium ion cells or batteries is carried unpackaged or on pallets in accordance with packing instruction P 909 (3) of 4.1.4.1, this mark may alternatively be affixed to the external surface of the wagons or containers.

NOTE: “Equipment from private households” means equipment which comes from private households and equipment which comes from commercial, industrial, institutional and other sources which, because of its nature and quantity, is similar to that from private households. Equipment likely to be used by both private households and users other than private households shall, in any event, be considered to be equipment from private households.”

Purpose of this guidance

The main purpose of this guidance is to provide an interpretation of special provision 670 (b) (i) regarding strong outer packaging for carriage in Great Britain. SMW containing up to 0.06% by weight of batteries of all types, not just lithium-ion batteries, may be loaded into metal skips or other suitable containers used at designated collection facilities.

Prevention of loss of content during carriage

In order to prevent the loss of content during carriage the container should be netted, sheeted or closed, or loaded into a closed vehicle.

Packaging marks or signage

The external surface of the container shall be marked either:

• “MAY CONTAIN SOME LITHIUM BATTERIES FOR DISPOSAL”
• “MAY CONTAIN SOME LITHIUM BATTERIES FOR RECYCLING”

Where it’s not practical to attach such marks or they are likely to become detached or illegible, a sign may be displayed in the driver’s cab, rather than on the surface of the container.

Legislative note

The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009 (CDG2009) (as amended) and The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 (CDG 2010) (as amended) implements the contents of The Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (The ADR Agreement) in Great Britain and in Northern Ireland.

The content of the guidance note should not be interpreted as a substitute for the regulations, nor for any road derogation, in particular, road derogation 15.

This guidance is based upon the interpretation of the UK competent authority and should not be taken as a complete or definitive statement of the law. It is not intended as a substitute for detailed legal or other professional advice based on specific circumstances. The Department for Transport accepts no liability for any loss or damage caused by reliance on the contents of this guidance note.

Support

General enquiries

Email dangerousgoods@dft.gov.uk

Packaging enquiries

Email dgenquiries@vca.gov.uk

Telephone: 01372 226110