World Wide WEEE

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) is a complex mixture of materials and components including hazardous elements and if not properly managed these materials and components can cause environmental and health problems. It’s really important to manage the collection, treatment and recycling of increasing quantities of older electronics at the end of their life.

As we all innovate and change, the world is producing ever more electrical and electronic waste. New products increase the quantity of dumped computers, telephones, televisions and appliances. This figure has doubled between 2009 and 2014, to 42 million tonnes per year globally (Source: nature.com).  A lot of this e-waste is then transport around the globe causing greater environmental concerns.

Ireland 

Some counties are doing a good job managing electrical and electronic waste and we hear in Recycle IT have to applaud Irish people as they are the best in Europe at recycling all types of duall purpose home and office electrical and electronic equipment. WEEE Ireland reported a total of 31,000 tonnes of electrical and electronic waste collected in 2015, or just over 9 KG per person.

The figures say that Irish people recycled 90,000 fridges and freezers, 600,000 large household appliances including washing machines, tumble dryers, cookers and dishwashers, 9 million mixed waste electrical and electronic equipment. Over 250,000 televisions and monitors were sent for recycling in the year with an overall total of 13 million waste electrical and electronic items recycled.

The report also shows that an equivalent to 28 million AA batteries and 3 million lamps were collected for recycling.

Recycling WEEE in Ireland

Recycle IT support and partner with WEEE Ireland in collection and drop off old and unused electrical and electronic equipment

Our collection teams works in Dublin and the surrounding working engaging with people in households, schools, community based organisation and business to recycle electrical goods.  Remember householders can drop items to recycling centres including Recycle IT for free. You can call 01 4578321 to learn more or visit our website.

WEEE Ireland has 900 member organisation which include multinational companies like Apple, Whirlpool, IBM, Philips, and indigenous Irish firms such as Dimpco, and Origo. They all support WEEE recycling in Ireland

In 2017 Recycle IT will focus on recycling small electrical and electronic waste items as today we only 25% of items purchase turn up for recycling.

Other areas of focus include toys, tools, small home appliances which today are either stored in homes or offices  or sent to the landfill in black bags or bins.