The government has revealed that the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) will be the body responsible for making sure businesses dispose of their waste electrical equipment in a legal manner.

The science and innovation minister, Malcolm Wicks, announced that the VCA would be the enforcement organisation when the new Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations are put in place.

"This agency has an important role to play in ensuring that distributors comply with their obligations under the WEEE Regulations," explained Mr Wicks. "Free-riding will not be tolerated, and a robust process will be in place."

Under the new regulations, businesses and consumers must make sure that their old electronic equipment is disposed of in an appropriate manner by the supplier. Suppliers will also have a responsibility to provide facilities to dispose of IT equipment and other electronic item.

In April, research from Wstore suggested that around half (47 per cent) of small businesses in the UK were not prepared to deal with the WEEE directive. Many were not even aware of its existence.