The difference between professional and household waste

The distinction between household and professional appliances is retained. However from 01/01/2022 the distinction will be made on the basis of the product's intended use and thus no longer on the basis of objective criteria such as weight/ size/ power, which was the case until 31/12/2021.

Appliances that can be used in both a household and professional environment are considered household appliances. Appliances that are exclusively intended for professional use are considered professional appliances. 

Note: An appliance shall be considered as a household appliance unless it can be proved that it has a professional character.

The distinction between "all-inclusive" and "administrative" contributions remains.

For example: a laptop can be used for household or professional purposes and is thus considered household equipment (it does not have an exclusive professional application). A barcode scanner is exclusively for professional use and is thus considered professional equipment.

For example: a coffee machine designed for professional use (office, bar, etc.) that could potentially be used by an individual at home is still considered as professional equipment. In this case, the use by an individual is considered to be exceptional and not reasonably foreseeable.

In order to determine if a product is household or professional, the appliance list provides explicit definitions, examples and exceptions. These must be followed. If the appliance list does not provide an answer, you can determine whether the appliance has a household or professional character using the step-by step-plan created by Recupel. It is important to follow the order of the steps. If you get the answer after the first step, you do not need to proceed to the next steps. You can find the step-by-step plan here.

More information on the difference between the household and professional character of an electr(on)ical appliance can be found here.