5-point checklist:
how to identify electrical equipment.

It’s not always clear at first glance whether or not something is an electrical device. Our checklist contains five tell-tale signs to help you clearly identify electrical equipment.

The increasing technologisation of objects means there is an ever-growing range of electrical goods on the market. Innovative and creative product developments mean it’s not always easy to recognise electrical equipment as such. As a result, some electrical equipment is wrongly disposed of in household waste without us realising.

It could be a singing doll, a solar-powered reading light, a leather bracelet with a built-in heart rate monitor, or a digital barbecue thermometer. Whatever it is, the following checklist will help you clearly and definitively identify whether it is an electrical device.

This is without a doubt the most familiar and obvious feature of an electrical device. If an object has a cable or a plug that can be used to connect it directly to the mains, then it is definitely an electrical item. This is true for your toaster just as much as it is your iron or hair dryer.

These days, more and more devices are designed to be operated wirelessly. Any device that contains disposable batteries or a rechargeable battery is an electrical device, regardless of its size or the materials it’s made of. A hopping stuffed bunny fits into this category just as much as it does to an e-cigarette, luggage scales or a futuristic robot vacuum. It’s important to note that battery-powered devices do not stop being electrical devices even after the batteries have been removed and separately disposed of.

There’s a simple question you can ask yourself: Is my device used to generate light? If the answer is “yes”, then it’s an electrical device. This applies as much to floor lamps and ceiling lights as it does to the mini torch on your keyring.

Here’s another very easy question you can ask yourself: Is my device used for cooling or air-conditioning? If the answer is “yes”, then it’s an electrical device. If it’s a fridge, a freezer, a fan, an AC unit or a wine cooler, then it is definitely an electrical item.

If a device generates or stores electricity, it is an electrical device. For this reason, photovoltaic modules also fall into this category, even though they can’t be connected to the mains and don’t contain batteries. They don’t need to, because they generate energy themselves. This applies just as much to the large solar array on your roof as it does to your little solar-powered pocket calculator from the 80s.

How to properly dispose of electrical equipment

As you can see, there is a huge range of electrical and electronic equipment, and there are various features that can make something an electrical device. You can dispose of electrical equipment whereever it’s available for purchase or at any Sens collection point. The easiest way to find your nearest collection point is by consulting the Recycling Map.