Many everyday consumer items now contain electronic parts. Every year an estimated 1 million tonnes of waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) are discarded by householders and commercial organisations in the UK. Dealing with this waste is an important issue, as electronic goods are becoming increasingly short-lived and increasing quantities of obsolete and broken equipment are thrown away. The disposal and non-recycling of electronic and electrical appliances, many of the components of which are toxic, poses an environmental hazard. The UK is committed to introduce legislation to encourage waste prevention, to support greater recycling and re-use, and to improve the monitoring of final disposal of materials. This legislation has its origin in the EC Directives relating to WEEE and to the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). This POSTnote would look at the different types of electrical and electronic waste and possible options to manage them. It would also examine the potential effects of the new legislation.