Latest news with #WEEEIreland
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Free e-waste collection day in Wicklow scheduled for August
The event, hosted by WEEE Ireland in partnership with Wicklow County Council and Blessington Allotments, takes place on Saturday, August 23 from 10am-4pm in McGreals Primary Care Centre in Blessington. Anything with a plug, battery or cable can be recycled for free on the day, including old washing machines, TVs, toasters and kettles, electronic tools and toys, cables, IT equipment, mobile phones, remote controls, batteries, including farm fence batteries, and even watches. The event will also help the county meet national e-waste recycling targets for 2025. Some 7.2kg of e-waste was recycled per person in Wicklow last year – less than the WEEE Ireland collection area average of 9.5kg per person that same year. WEEE Ireland warns that the nation needs to meet new forthcoming EU targets to recycle at least 25pc of our annual consumption of critical raw materials from e-waste. 'In Wicklow, and across Ireland, we are buying more electrical goods than ever – with people purchasing an average 25kg per head in 2024 compared to 16kgs just six years ago,' said WEEE Ireland CEO Leo Donovan. 'With old items still lying around many households we want to offer the opportunity to recycle these for free. People in Wicklow have contributed greatly to e-waste recycling every year, with 1,162 tonnes of electrical waste collected in the county in 2024, and we want to encourage that trend. 'An average of 96pc of all e-waste that we collect is recovered for use again in manufacturing through both indigenous operators and specialist processors in Europe. 'Most end-of-life products contain metals and minerals in higher concentrations than primary resources. These stocks of resources are the urban mines of the future, so our recycling efforts can have a significant impact on the environment.' In 2024, the equivalent of 206,521 tonnes of CO2 emissions were avoided by recycling e-waste through the WEEE Ireland Scheme as opposed to landfilling. That is the equivalent of the annual carbon consumption of 4,130 hectares of trees. WEEE Ireland accounts for over two thirds of all national waste electrical and electronics collection activity on behalf of 1,355 producer members. ADVERTISEMENT In July, WEE Ireland in collaboration with the Blessington Allotments Campaign and Blessington Tourist Office, launched an e-waste initiative providing 200 free battery recycling boxes. 'Recycling e-waste is incredibly beneficial for both the environment and the economy,' said Mr. Donovan. 'Together, we are diverting waste from landfill, recovering raw materials for reuse and ensuring hazardous materials are safely and responsibly disposed of. We look forward to working with Wicklow householders to hopefully recycle a record-breaking amount of electronic waste in 2025.'
Irish Independent
09-08-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Wexford households urged to recycle electrical waste at collection events
This comes after Wexford contributed greatly to e-waste recycling, with 1,702 tonnes of electrical waste collected in 2024. Organised by WEEE Ireland (Waste, Electrical and Electronic Equipment) have partnered with Wexford County Council to host the collection events. The events will kick off on Tuesday August 12 from 10am-4pm at Kilanerin Ballyfad GAA Club, Borleagh Road. Later in the week, a collection will take place at Craanford Fr O'Reagan's GAA Club, Island Upper, on Thursday August 14, from 10am-4pm. In addition to this, 10.4kg of e-waste was recycled per person in Wexford in 2024, which exceeds the WEEE Ireland collection area average of 9.5kg per person in that same year. At the collection events, anything with a plug, battery or cable can be recycled for free on the day. This includes old washing machines, TVs, toasters and kettles, electronic tools and much more. 'In Wexford, and across Ireland, we are buying more electrical goods than ever – with people purchasing an average 25kg per head in 2024 compared to 16kgs just six years ago,' said Leo Donovan, the CEO of WEEE Ireland. Leo spoke about the increase in electrical waste. 'Shopping stats show a surge in spend on new electrical devices like mobile phones, computers, small kitchen appliances and white goods. 'With old items still lying around many households we want to offer the opportunity to recycle these for free,' Leo said. WEEE Ireland warned that Ireland needs to meet new forthcoming EU targets to recycle at least 25% of our annual consumption of critical raw materials from e-waste. 'An average of 96% of all e-waste that we collect is recovered for use again in manufacturing through both indigenous operators and specialist processors in Europe,' said Mr. Donovan. In 2024, the equivalent of 206,521 tonnes of CO2 emissions were avoided by recycling e-waste through the WEEE Ireland Scheme as opposed to landfilling. That is the equivalent of the annual carbon consumption of 4,130 hectares of trees. ADVERTISEMENT WEEE Ireland accounts for over two thirds of all national waste electrical and electronics collection activity on behalf of 1,355 producer members. 'These stocks of resources are the urban mines of the future, so our recycling efforts can have a significant impact on the environment,' Leo said. Leo said that recycling e-waste is incredibly beneficial for the environment and the economy. 'Together, we are diverting waste from landfill, recovering raw materials for reuse and ensuring hazardous materials are safely and responsibly disposed of. 'We look forward to working with Wexford householders to hopefully recycle a record-breaking amount of electronic waste in 2025,' Leo added.
Irish Independent
11-07-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Free battery recycling boxes launched to grow Wicklow's green credentials
With Wicklow County Council recently reporting that, in 2024, Garden County residents recycled an average of 7.5kg of e-waste per person versus a national average of 9.5kg, the small battery boxes will offer a simple way for residents to collect used batteries, while making it easier to safely dispose of them through WEEE Ireland electrical recycling. To collect your battery recycling box, simply call into Blessington Tourist Office. Once your battery recycling box is full, you can drop your used batteries to a free WEEE Ireland Electrical Recycling Day at McGreals Primary Care Centre in Blessington on Saturday, August 23, from 10 am to 4 pm. Alternatively, drop your used batteries into the large battery recycling boxes which are located in many major retailers (e.g. Aldi or SuperValu in Blessington). Highlighting how every electrical item that is recycled means a new life for the materials contained within that device or battery, Blessington Allotments Campaign chair Dónal McCormack said that the initiative and their campaign continues to work on and support community projects which have a positive impact on the local environment. 'We are delighted to link this project with our free WEEE Ireland Electrical Recycling Day and to help build and expand on the success of last year's event,' he added. 'A huge thanks to the Blessington Tourist Office and WEEE Ireland for collaborating with us and supporting this project by making these boxes available for the local community!' Expressing delight at being part of another project that helps promote sustainability in west Wicklow, Blessington Tourist Office manager Martin Cahill said: 'The free battery recycling boxes are a positive solution to battery waste and continue our focus and work on projects which help make it easier for members of our community to make more sustainable and environmentally friendly choices, 'Previous sustainability projects that we have hosted include our popular Halloween costume and Christmas jumper swap shops, which we look forward to running again in the coming months. It's up to all of us to play our part in creating a better, more sustainable place to live!'
Irish Independent
03-07-2025
- Science
- Irish Independent
Climate Changemakers: The ‘hackerspace' bringing tech repair skills to communities around Ireland
Tog Hackerspace provides a community-run workspace where those interested in technology, science, computers and machines can make and repair useful objects Ireland has an extensive electrical recycling network, with electrical shops across the country accepting batteries and waste electrical items for free under the WEEE Ireland scheme. However, in many cases, malfunctioning items can be easily repaired. Opting for repair wherever possible reduces the amount of electrical waste that needs to be sent through the recycling system, prolongs the lifespan of the item, and saves money that would otherwise be spent on purchasing a new version of that item. 'Not only can taking the time to learn repair techniques reduce electronic waste and save money, but it also builds communities of like-minded people,' says Jeffrey Roe, co-founder of Tog Hackerspace. The term 'hackerspace' refers to a community-run workspace where people with interests in technology, science, computers and machines can make and repair useful objects.
Irish Independent
16-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Report finds Leitrim is country's worst performing county for recycling
Last year, an average 4.8kg of household e-waste was recycled per person in Leitrim, less than the 9.5kg national average. The figures indicate that Leitrim is the worst performing county in Ireland, according to the latest Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Ireland annual report. The country's biggest e-waste recycling scheme is now calling for a national leap forward in "e-waste intelligence" as electrical device consumption reaches record levels - with vapes and solar panels driving a 75pc surge in sales over the last five years. A total of 93 million household electronic items were purchased nationally in 2024, putting pressure on Ireland's ability to meet EU recycling targets which are based on sales volumes, regardless of product life cycle or whether they can be reused. This is almost three times the volume sold in 2006, according to WEEE Ireland, with a reported 31 million vape and e-cigarette devices sold last year alone, and 2.5 million solar PV panels installed in the last five years. This month, the Government allocated €27 million from the Circular Economy Fund to support further progress, and WEEE Ireland is pushing for an ambitious roadmap forward. Leo Donovan, CEO of WEEE Ireland said Leitrim has an engaged public and a high-performing recycling network. 'With increased investment in recycling centres, including longer opening hours, and strong leadership, we can set the benchmark for e-waste and circular economy solutions in Europe' said Mr Donovan. WEEE Ireland is taking the lead, working with manufacturers and retailers to scale up sustainable solutions. In 2024 alone, it collected 38,215 tonnes of e-waste, equating to 9.5kg per capita. ADVERTISEMENT This included large household appliances which account for a significant share of Ireland's material recovery due to their size and resource content – almost 330,000 large household appliances, over 119,000 fridge freezers and 258,000 TVs and monitors. More than 1.1 million vape devices were also recovered, despite being notoriously difficult to capture due to disposal habits, with many ending up in waste bins. WEEE Ireland says it continues to work with retailers and regulators to design more effective solutions for this new category of waste. 16.2 million small appliances - such as kettles, vacuums , tools, and toys - along with 1.9 million lighting items and 72 million AA batteries worth of portable batteries were also collected. With a 96pc recovery rate, WEEE Ireland continues to exceed EU material recovery targets and reinforce Ireland's standing as a circular economy leaders. Consumers can recycle their electronics for free at participating retailers or recycling centres. Check for these as well as its many free public recycling collection days across the country.
