I'm afraid you're not out the loop:
"There are no exemptions for SMEs under the WEEE Directive, and hence the WEEE Regulations apply to all businesses regardless of size,"
"You are a producer for the purposes of the WEEE Regulations if you are: a manufacturer of EEE, selling under your own brand in the UK; or a business based in the UK selling under your own brand EEE manufactured by another person; or a professional importer introducing EEE to the UK market;
or a business based in the UK that places EEE in other European Members States by means of distance selling,"
eCommerce IS distance selling.
The DTI advice also outlines what consumers can expect. Though they have no obligations under the new rules and can deposit old equipment in WEEE sections at municipal dumps, it does point out that the Regulations do not give householders the right to free pick up of equipment from their home.
Therefore, although you may be obliged to provide a disposal service, you should not be out of pocket for it, even as a distance seller, you should be able to allow customers to drop off goods if this is possible with them, or to return goods for disposal at their own shipping cost.
You should also realise that these are guidelines, not laws. It's a directive:
A directive is a legislative act of the European Union which requires member states to achieve a particular result without dictating the means of achieving that result. It can be distinguished from European Union regulations which are self-executing and do not require any implementing measures. Directives normally leave member states with a certain amount of leeway as to the exact rules to be adopted. Directives can be adopted by means of a variety of legislative procedures depending on its subject matter.
