Obligation to take back electrical devices
Since March 2006, according to the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG), consumers have been obliged to dispose of old lights, lamps and fans (incandescent lamps are not affected; these can still be disposed of with household waste) in a professional and environmentally friendly manner. Products that can no longer be disposed of in household waste include:
Options for returning old devices
Owners of old devices from private households can hand them in at the collection points of the public waste disposal authorities or at the collection points set up by manufacturers or distributors in accordance with the ElektroG.
The symbol of a crossed-out garbage can, which is regularly shown on electrical and electronic devices, indicates that the respective device must be collected separately from unsorted municipal waste at the end of its service life.