The government has said that new rules forcing online marketplaces to help cover the costs of electrical waste will help to “create a level playing field” for UK retailers.

Up until now, UK-based electrical retailers have covered the cost of the collection and processing of electrical waste, which the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs says has put them at a disadvantage compared to their online rivals which are based abroad.

The governmental department said that online marketplaces will now have to help pay for dealing with broken electrical items, meaning that for the first time the country's manufacturers and importers do not "unduly bear the cost burden of managing waste they did not create".

Electrical waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world, with industry estimates by Material Focus finding that more than 100,000 tonnes of electricals, like irons and microwaves, are binned across the UK every year.

British electronics retailer Currys praised the move, with the company's chief people, communications & sustainability officer Paula Coughlan saying that it is important that the responsibility of safely disposing of electronic waste is "shared fairly".

"As well as making online marketplaces pay for the waste they create, we should be going further to set stretch targets and incentivise investment in cleaning it up too," she added. "We believe with the right skills and infrastructure in place, the UK can build a thriving circular economy - enabling lasting and sustainable change."

The new rules form part of the government's wider Plan for Change to end a "throwaway culture" in the UK.

It said that the funds generated will also improve the collection and treatment of waste items collected by local authorities and returned to retailers, helping to move the nation towards a more circular economy.

“Ensuring online marketplaces pay their share for managing the cost of the electrical waste they generate will increase recycling and level the playing field for UK-based retailers, boosting growth and making the system fairer through our Plan for Change,” said circular economy minister Mary Creagh.

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