IT recycler is approved for WEEE

AMI is the first recycling business in the UK to be granted approval to operate as an Approved Authorised Treatment Facility under the WEEE Regulations

Northern Ireland IT disposal company AMI has become the first recycling business in the UK to be granted approval to operate as an Approved Authorised Treatment Facility (AATF) under the new WEEE Regulations. The new regulations authorise fully licensed UK treatment facilities that accept waste electrical and electronic equipment to issue WEEE Evidence Notes to the new Producer Compliance Schemes when the legislation takes full effect on 1st July 2007.

AMI, based at Mallusk, near Belfast in Northern Ireland has now received approval from the Environment and Heritage Service (NI) to operate an AATF and also as an Approved Exporter of WEEE.

AMI has been providing a secure environmental solution to the problem of discarded electronic equipment since 2001.

The company also provides a specialist data destruction and equipment disposal service to Government and commercial clients in Northern Ireland, ensuring that sensitive computer hard drive information is fully wiped to an accredited UK Government standard.

AMI already works in close partnership with TechRec Ireland, a division of One51 in Dublin.

TechRec operate a fully licensed and automated WEEE recycling plant in Dublin, capable of handling 30,000 tonnes of WEEE per annum.

One51 also owns the only licensed ODS fridge recycling plant on the island in Dungannon, Northern Ireland.

Interestingly, AMI also has a transfrontier shipment licence already in place to permit the movement of WEEE from Northern Ireland in the UK to the Republic of Ireland, across the UK's only land border with the rest of Europe.

Re-use of equipment is also a key objective of the WEEE Directive.

AMI is also proud to be Northern Ireland's first ever Microsoft Authorised Refurbisher (MAR), which enables the efficient re-use of discarded computers and other IT equipment by charitable and educational organisations.

AMI has recently invested in additional staff, logistics and facilities to enable it to work closely with the UK Producer Compliance Schemes in providing both B2C and B2B recycling services.

Evidence notes can only be issued for WEEE that passes though an AATF or authorised exporter route.

AMI and TechRec expect both their businesses to grow even further in the year ahead as the compliance schemes will be keen to contract with professional recycling organisations that already hold AATF or AE approvals.