Latest news with #WEEEIrelandScheme
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.
