Frequently Asked Questions
Our service is aimed at organisations who want to lower their impact on the environment, improve their corporate social responsibility action, and fulfil their duty of care for their printer consumable waste.
What are the benefits of using the service?
- All makes & models of printer consumables accepted
- 100% compliant with Waste Transfer Notes and Certificate of Recycling
- Legally and environmentally compliant
- Fulfils your duty of care to the highest standards
- A simple and user-friendly online portal service
- Efficient, professional and reliable service
- Zero-landfill policy
REGULATION
Waste Carrier & Broker registration
Our current registration reference is: CBDU 74010 and you can view our registration online at:
However, most of the waste movements will be done by a 3rd party courier. These details will be made available on the individual Waste Transfer Note provided for each Collection Service. You can also find the registration details for these companies by searching on the above website or checking the Compliance page on this portal.
Waste Permit Exemptions
Because we are not a general waste operation, processing all kinds of household and industrial waste, the Environment Agency grant us special ‘licenses’ known as Waste Permit Exemptions. This means we are not required to purchase expensive and comprehensive permits, instead we can pay lower fees to register our specific operations with the Environment Agency.
Our Waste Permit Exemption license is WEX373615 and you can view our registration online at:
We currently operate under exemptions: S1, S2, T4, T11 & T16
In addition, our T11 WEEE treatment exemption is EXP/MP3346YE and you can view our registration online at:
SERVICE
How do I use the service?
Begin by registering to create your online User Portal account.
If there are multiple people going to need access to the Portal, then you should register with a shared email account. Please contact us if you need to change your login email address.
Account verification may take 2-3 business days, after this you will receive an email to confirm your account is active, with a username and temporary password. You can then log into your account – do not forget to change your password.
- Select the service you require from “New Request”
- Confirm your order
- Wait for your order confirmation to confirm success
What types of products do you accept for recycling?
We accept the following types of printer consumables, whether broken, faulty, unused or empty:
Inkjet cartridges – ink tank cartridges – laser cartridges – desktop cartridges – copier toner bottles – imaging units – drum units – fuser units – transfer belts – waste toner bottles.
What brands of printer consumables do you accept?
We accept all genuine Original Equipment Manufactured brands. You can also include remanufactured and compatible versions – provided they are not illegal clones. (There may be charges for some items, this will be made clear to you in your Commercial Agreement).
Can I send you my printer to recycle?
We can accept printers and other machine parts relating to printers. These will be recycled in line with the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) regulations. However, you will need to arrange a courier and speak to us in advance to book in the delivery and confirm if there are any charges for these services.
Can I put laser toners, inkjets, ink tanks, bottles and fusers in the same collection box?
Yes. We would recommend putting the inks in a separate container within the box such as a smaller box or plastic bag to protect them from any residue toner powder. The powder can contaminate the inks and therefore make them more difficult to recycle.
Please note that waste toner containers must be securely sealed in a separate plastic bag within the main bag, within the box, to prevent toner powder leaks.
What is the process to have my recycling box(es) collected?
- Please pack your printer consumables in a sturdy box and tape the box securely ready for collection
- Log in to your online account
- Book your collection service
- We will arrange for the courier to collect within 3-5 business days
- Please ensure the box is placed near the main entrance and is easily accessible for the courier
If the collection is unsuccessful, the courier will automatically try again later that day or another day. If there are two failed collection attempts, we will contact you to advise how we can make arrangements for another courier collection.
What happens to my printer consumables once you receive them?
- All printer consumables are inspected, sorted and processed for recycling
- Any products that can be reused will be packed and supplied to the appropriate remanufacturing facilities
- For the non-reusable consumables, we recycle them back into their raw materials for use in the production of new products
- Any non-recoverable materials are separated and sent for thermal recovery
Can you refill my cartridges?
Although reusable cartridges can be refilled, we do not offer a refill service.
Can I use any box?
We will accept any box if the box meets each limitation set by our 3rd party couriers. You also ensure that your box contains a reasonable quantity of items – it is not commercially viable or environmentally-friendly to collect small boxes with only a handful of items.
You can order replacement collection boxes through your online account. Our boxes are designed specifically to be the maximum size that our courier will accept. We also supply seal tape and a plastic bag with our boxes. Courier Limits are:
- Volume no greater than 120,000 cm3 (L x W x H)
- Largest side no greater than 75cm
- Weight no greater than 25kg
How soon can you collect my box(es)?
We do not guarantee next-day collection and we cannot specify a date or time. This is a low-cost collection service and as such we operate a 3-5 working day turn-around. If you wish to arrange a courier, please contact us to confirm the booking so the box(es) will not be rejected.
Collections cannot be made at weekends, public holidays, or on the same day of order.
If your premises is going to be closed (for example school holidays) please do not book a service until the site is open again.
I do not have the original packaging. Do you still accept the printer consumables?
Yes, we do not need the original packaging. Simply place all your printer consumables into a box, seal it securely with tape and attach our collection label (if applicable) to the outside of the box. We prefer you to recycle the packaging locally so that more items can be placed inside the box for recycling – this is both commercially and environmentally beneficial.
I have multiple collection sites in my organisation, how can I use your service?
Each site may register for an account individually, to use the portal directly to manage their recycling services. Or, if central management of services is preferred, you can add multiple addresses to your account and store these in your Address Book. When placing a New Request, simply select the appropriate address for your chosen service.
Can I arrange two collections?
There is no limit to how many collections you request.
Can I arrange services on behalf of others?
Unless explicitly agreed with your printer consumables supplier, you cannot book services on behalf of third parties, they will need to register, undergo verification and manage their recycling services directly via the Online Portal.
The courier did not collect my box!
Not to worry, the courier will automatically make another attempt. We will be in touch to make alternative courier arrangements if still unsuccessful. If you do not hear from us within 2 days of the second failed attempt, you should Contact Us.
What is a Waste Transfer Note?
The sender, transporter and receiver of waste must record certain details of the transfer (persons responsible, organisations, locations, materials, weight, company SIC codes, dates, etc.) on a legal document called a Waste Transfer Note (WTN). This information must be kept for a minimum of 2 years and will be needed if your organisation has an environmental audit. We ensure a WTN is made available on your online account within 20 working days of the collection, and you can access all your Waste Transfer Notes from the Orders page (here they can be downloaded and printed).
Does a Waste Transfer Note prove I have recycled properly?
No.
A Waste Transfer Note is your declaration that you have fulfilled your Duty of Care and have recycled properly. You are confirming to the Environment Agency that you have done your due diligence and checked that the destination of the waste is a legitimate and authorised facility for processing your waste responsibly.
This is why we also issue a Certificate of Recycling with every Waste Transfer Note. The COR is our declaration that your waste has gone through the appropriate process for recycling, following the Waste Hierarchy regulation.
If you are not using our services, you should always check where your waste is going and ask for proof of how it is recycled. Being the producer of the waste, you are declaring you have done thorough checks when you have a Waste Transfer Note – even if it is your supplier that provides the WTN.
Why can it take up to 20 days to get a Waste Transfer Note?
The Environment Agency are encouraging digitalisation of the Waste Transfer Note system. They accept that we can complete the WTN on your behalf and make this available to you on the Portal. We don’t complete the WTN until we have received, checked, verified, weighed and processed your returned items; this enables us to record more accurate information on the WTN and COR that we provide for you. We aim to upload these onto your portal within 10 business days of receiving your box, but it can take longer in busy periods. If you need a particular document more urgently, please contact us.
MY ACCOUNT
I have not received a registration e-mail!
- Please check your junk / spam email folders.
- Please try clearing your browser cache / history and try again.
- Please try using an alternative browser, including ‘InPrivate’ or ‘Incognito’ options.
- Please use the Contact Us form with your name, company name, email address used to register and your post code and we will get this sorted for you.
I forgot my password!
Not to worry, you can simply reset your password using the link on the log in page.
How can I change my password?
You can change your password by logging into your account and choosing ‘’Update Password’ form the top of the My Account’ menu.
Can I save my order and complete it later?
Whilst logged in, your order will remain until you leave the page. There is no option to save your order for later, but it is easy enough to start over on the New Request page.
How can I view my previous orders?
When logged into your account you can view your order history in ‘Orders’ from the main menu.
How can I change my submitted order?
Once your order has been completed you cannot make changes online. If you need to make a change, please use the Contact Us form, email us or phone 0161 338 5208 as soon as possible. We will do our best to accommodate any changes, however, change requests cannot be guaranteed and may incur costs.
Can I have different collection and delivery address?
Yes, you can add multiple addresses to your account. When booking services, you can select the addresses required for your chosen service. There is an option to add addresses individually or use the Bulk Import function to upload a csv file.
How can I change my login details?
We recommend you use a generic email address that multiple users can have access to. This way all your recycling services can be managed on one online account by several people. You can update your password online, but please contact us if you need to change other user details.
How much does your service cost?
This will be agreed between you and the supplier of your printer consumables. Generally there will be no charges from WBM to you, unless there are surcharges / penalties for non-conformance. Please see Terms and Conditions for details and check with your printer consumables supplier.
FURTHER ENQUIRIES
Please Contact Us regarding any queries not covered by our FAQ.