British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has welcomed WEEE regulation changes which see online marketplaces pay electrical waste disposal costs, creating “a level playing field”.

Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira, said: “This marks a significant step towards fairer retail competition….These new rules will ensure all sellers contribute to the environmental costs of their products.”

The WEEE directive, introduced in 2002 and updated in 2012, ensures disposal and recycling of electrical equipment and places responsibilities on all producers, including retailers, and now includes online sellers.

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It covers all items requiring batteries, solar energy, or electrical current to operate.

The changes will impact the ruling which also governs large household appliances like refrigerators and dishwashers and small household appliances.

Government reported, before now UK-based firms were shouldering the majority of costs around collection and processing of electronic waste and operating at a disadvantage.

It states 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.

Circular economy minister Mary Creagh said electrical equipment is being sold in the UK by producers who are “failing to pay their fair share when recycling and reusing of dealing with old or broken items.”

She continued: “Today we’re ending this: creating a level playing field for all producers of electronics, to ensure fairness and fund the cost of the treatment of waste electricals.

“As part of our Plan for Change, we are helping UK businesses compete and grow, and we continue to get more households recycling, cracking down on waste and ending the throwaway society.”

Commercial director of Retra, Bira’s specialist electrical retail division, Jeff Moody added: “High street retailers have managed disposal responsibilities while online sellers haven’t faced the same obligations.

“As part of the Bira group, Retra has long advocated for equal treatment between online and physical retailers,” added Mr Moody.

“This announcement marks a significant victory for independent retailers who have consistently met their environmental obligations while competing with online sellers operating under different rules.”