Author: JMCE

Recycle IT – COVID-19 – 2021

On By JMCEIn Dublin, Electronic and Electrical Recycling, NewsLeave a comment

Overview 2021

Recycle IT plan to remain open for electrical, electronic and pure metal recycling DROP OFF and COLLECTIONS during Level 5 of the Plan for Living with Covid-19. Recycling services are included in the list of essential services which can operate.

Following a recent Cabinet meeting the Government has decided to introduce COVID-19 Level 5 restrictions during late December 2020. These restrictions are due to be in place until further notice.

The Government say that over the coming weeks, we have a real challenge individually and collectively. With much of society and the economy closed, we all have choices to make which will have a significant impact on how we manage Covid-19 in 2021. To learn more click here.

These restrictions mean all counties in Ireland are Level 5 from midnight on 30 December 2020. At present Level 5 restrictions will remain in place until further notice. The Government will monitor and issue regular updates based on the status of the virus and on public health advice.

COVID 19

The priority is to minimise disruption to essential services but again this is subject to change. This means that some services will be moved online and some businesses and public services will be closed. You can learn more by clicking here. At present school are closed but hope to reopen shortly. We encourage everyone to read about the COVID-19 vaccine and to get their information from a factual, trusted source – here are the links to the pages with information on the vaccine:

Recycling with Recycle IT

Recycle IT reopened in Jan 20201 with a drop off service only but resumed a limited collection service again from February 1st 2021 based on demand. We are offering a safe collections services to households, schools, community group, charities and business organisations in Dublin at present. We have published collection guidelines to help ensure safe collections for customers and our team. You can read the guidelines here.

If you wish to drop off electrical, electronic and pure metal recycling drop off you will find our address and a location map and further details here.

COVID-19 Public Health Advice

Some of our staff team will be able to work from home. Others delivering services directly to the public with be working safely from our facility in Clondalkin, Dublin 22. The team will following all health and safety guidelines with a focus on those specific to COVID 19. Team members will have there temperature recorded daily with hand washing, hand sanitization and social distancing a priority.

Phone calls will be answered during the hours of 9.30 am and 1.30 pm. Email is the best form of communication and will be monitored Monday to Friday from 9 am and 5 pm.

Help Prevent COVID 19

If you wish to book an electrical recycling collection from your home, school, community group or business Recycle IT will make every effort to support on reopening for collections.

Once collection resume, its worth noting all items for recycling will need to be accessible, disconnected and ready for collection. Recycle IT teams will be following social distancing guidelines. They are happy to collect the electronic and electrical equipment from drives, parking areas, outside common areas and other accessible & clear external location. We ask recyclers to remain mindful of social distancing and hand hygiene guidelines when recycling.

If you need further information on COVID 19 updates are available on the HSE-HPSC Website (updated daily at 12 noon) together with guidance and other relevant information.

About Recycle IT

Recycle IT, is an award-winning social enterprise offering electrical, electronic and metal recycling services through drop off and collection. Services are provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland and South Dublin County Council.

Recycle IT are supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development, Pobal and Dormant Accounts and authorised by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authorities across in Leinster.

For more information on Recycle IT please call 01 4578321, email info@recycleit.ie or visit our website www.recycleit.ie

Truck with Recycle IT Logo

Shorter Product Life Means More Recycling?

On By JMCEIn Electronic and Electrical RecyclingLeave a comment

What is a Circular Economy

A circular economy is an alternative to a traditional economy in which we Make Products, Use Products and Dispose Off  Products. The circular economy encourages us to keep scarce resources in use for as long as possible and extract the maximum value from them. This might include buying a radio, using it for 30 or 40 years years regardless of fashion trends, size trends, peer pressures or general appearance upgrades. Great! It’s still a radio once it provides you the opportunity to listen to news, music or sport. Once it life is over for you, we think it should be offer for reuse or safely recycled so parts materials can be reuse. What do you think?

Recycle IT - Circular Economy
Recycle IT – The Circular Economy

The European Commission has adopted an ambitious new Circular Economy Plan to help European businesses and consumers to make the transition to a stronger and more circular economy where our resources are used in a more sustainable way.

The proposed actions will contribute to “closing the loop” of product life-cycles through greater efforts to reduce, reused, re-purpose and recycle in order to bring benefits for both the environment and the economy.

Benefits for The Environment, Consumer, Public Authorities and Businesses include

  • An increase in reuse and repair of products which will extend their longevity, provide consumers with financial gains and reduce waste.
  • Improved durability and repair-ability of products which benefits to consumers pockets.
  • Positive environmental impacts and improved enforcement of guarantees.
Equipment for Recycling

Can these benefits really happen?

Yes it can: But we do have to ask questions about electrical and electronic products with apparently shorter life cycles. Whether it’s electronic toys, computers, TV’s, hairdryers, tablet PC’s or mobile phones, most are used for shorter periods of times before they are replaced. This was the conclusion of a recent study carried out by the German Federal Environment Agency  (UBA, February 2016)

The downside to having new and shiny electronic equipment is the vast consumption of valuable resources required to create them. The  end to end production process or supply chain creates pollution in the form of greenhouse gases, e.g. extraction, manufacturing and transportation. The report calls for minimum requirements to be established for product life and quality, “a sort of minimum shelf life for electrical and electronic devices”.

Its not just shiny electronic, the number of large household appliances like cookers, washing machines, fridges and dishwashers that had to be replaced due to a fault within the first five years after purchase also increased, from 3.5% in 2004 to 8.3% in 2013, according to the study carried out by the Öko Institute in Freiburg, Germany . This study was carried out in conjunction by with the University of Bonn.

The Future – Repair-Friendly Design

The president of the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA), Maria Krautzberger suggested that the capacity to repair the device should be facilitated by repair-friendly design and the making available of spare parts to non-manufacturers and other third parties. A second suggestion stated, that products have a recommended life span as product price is not a good indicator of reliability yet consumer who pay more expect a longer life span.

The drive to recycle our products and reduce factors such as climate change is one of the main aims of the European Commission’s circular economy package, which is intended to increase recycling levels and tighten rules on incineration and landfill.

Team Work – Recycle IT

Employment

The whole industry requires better regulation and greater flexibility which will allow for ease of reuse and recycling. This can lead to increased employment opportunities in the repair and maintenance of electrical and electronic equipment leading to a longer life and recycling pushed further down the road.

Between 2012 and 2018, 4 million jobs were linked to the circular economy in the EU, a growth of grew 5%. The circular economy can be expected to have a positive effect on job creation provided workers acquire the skills required by the green business. The potential of social economy organisations is like Recycle IT and others looks good once people grip the real value of offering their old stuff for reuse and recycling.

Arranging and preparing for re-use and recycling of waste in the EU will be enhanced by a thorough review of EU rules on waste shipments. A review will will look at restricting exports of waste items that have harmful environmental and health impacts in third countries or can be treated domestically within the EU. There will be a focus on countries of destination, problematic waste streams, types of waste operations that are source of concern, and enforcement to counteract illegal shipments. (Source: EU Circular Economy Action Plan).

Recycle IT

Recycle IT is an award-winning not for profit social enterprise providing a collection and drop off service for all types of waste electrical, electronic and metal items. During the last 18 months Recycle IT offered drop-off and collection services to homes, charities, schools and business organisations of all types across Dublin and surrounding areas.

Our recycling teams operate across Dublin and surrounding areas collecting electrical appliances which are old, damage and/or beyond repair. Items can include dishwashers, cookers, fridges, washing machines, computers, cables, monitors, microwaves, screens and much more.

Our electrical community collection service is provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland. Recycle IT are supported by Pobal, South Dublin County Council and authorized by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authorities across Leinster.

Call us on 01 4578321 or email us at here. Visit our website www.recycleit.ie

Recycle IT – Truck

Repair My Stuff Ireland

On By JMCEIn Electronic and Electrical RecyclingLeave a comment

The mission of repairmystuff.ie is to support, promote and encourage the repair industry in Ireland. This makes environmental and financial sense and if people know how and where to get products repaired they will do so!

The Directory

The repairmystuff.ie directory is considered a guide to repairing and reusing in Ireland, and it’s FREE. This directory aims to make it easier for you, the consumer to avail yourself of the many great repair services throughout the country. Simply search what you want to be repaired and where in the country you are.

Repair My Staff – Website Photo

Whilst many counties are now covered, the team at repairmystuff.ie are busy working on covering all counties in Ireland with the hope of providing you with a number of repair options. The website is an initiative of Monaghan County Council, other local authorities, the Local Authority Waste Prevention Network (LAPN), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the repair industry in Ireland.

In a positive development Repair My Stuff has teamed up with WEEE Ireland to make it easier than ever to find more eco-conscious methods of repairing or disposing of your electronic products.

Did you know the average home in Ireland has around 72 products, 11 of which are broken or not being used anymore? These items are stored in draws, sheds, bags, attics and many other locations Repairing these products instead of replacing them is kinder to the environment and can be kinder to your pocket.

With support from WEEE Ireland and in conjunction with the White Goods Association, the Repair My Stuff online directory will be expanding, so keep an eye out for repair options near you!

Repair My Stuff – Repair Map of Ireland

Asking yourself the question, why should I repair?

Terms like sustainability, circular economy, and eco friendly are buzzwords you may have heard but don’t fully understand. These words can be understood by simply opting for repair. If you choose, repair you are contributing to each one of these terms, i.e. principles of sustainability, circular economy, and eco-friendliness. Repair & reuse are also simple and often cheaper routes to protecting our environment.

For more information on why it’s good to repair click here or visit repairmystuff.ie

About Recycle IT

Recycle IT is an award-winning not for profit social enterprise providing a collection and drop off service for all types of waste electrical, electronic and metal items. During the last 18 months Recycle IT offered drop-off and collection services to homes, charities, schools and business organisations of all types across Dublin and surrounding areas.

Our recycling teams operate across Dublin and surrounding areas collecting electrical appliances which are old, damaged and/or beyond repair. Items can include dishwashers, cookers, fridges, washing machines, computers, cables, monitors, microwaves, screens and much more.

Our electrical community collection service is provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland. Recycle IT is supported by Pobal, South Dublin County Council and authorized by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authorities across Leinster.

Call us on 01 4578321 or email us at here

Visit our website www.recycleit.ie

Van with Recycle IT with Logo

E-Waste in the EU: Facts and Figures

On By JMCEIn Computer Recycling, Dublin, Electronic and Electrical Recycling, Electronic Equipment, We Recycle ITLeave a comment

We are sharing a news article from the European Parliament, a forum for political debate and decision-making at EU level. This particular article was published on 23 December 2020 and is about electrical and electronic waste and the fact that it growing faster than any other waste stream. Check out the facts and figures in the infographics below.

Did you know that less than 40% of e-waste is recycled. Electronic devices and electrical equipment define our modern life. From washing machines and vacuum cleaners to smartphones and computers, it is hard to imagine life without them. But the waste they generate has become an obstacle in the EU efforts to reduce its overall ecological footprint. This includes Ireland.

What is e-waste?

Electronic and electrical waste, or e-waste, covers a variety of different products that are thrown away after use. From the largest items to the smallest including cables, phones and batteries. Large household appliances, such as washing machines and electric stoves, are the most collected, making up more than half of all collected e-waste.

This is followed by IT and telecommunications equipment (laptops, printers), consumer equipment and photovoltaic panels (video cameras, fluorescent lamps) and small household appliances (vacuum cleaners, toasters, kettles etc.).

All other categories, such as electrical tools and medical devices, together make up just 7.2% of the collected e-waste.

E-waste recycling rate in the EU

Less than 40% of all e-waste in the EU is recycled, the rest is unsorted. Recycling practices vary among EU countries. In 2017, Croatia recycled 81% of all electronic and electrical waste, while in Malta, the figure was 21%. Ireland recycles 47.7% of all electronic and electrical waste but this figure could be a ;ot higher if we all did more.

Why do we need to recycle electronic and electrical waste?

Discarded electronic and electrical equipment contains potentially harmful materials that pollute the environment and increase the risks for people involved in recycling e-waste. To counter this problem, the EU has passed legislation to prevent the use of certain chemicals, like lead.

Many rare minerals that are needed in modern technology come from countries that do not respect human rights. To avoid inadvertently supporting armed conflict and human rights abuses, MEPs have adopted rules requiring European importers of rare earth minerals to carry out background checks on their suppliers.

What is the EU doing do reduce e-waste?

In March 2020, the European Commission presented a new circular economy action plan that has as one of its priorities the reduction of electronic and electrical waste. The proposal specifically outlines immediate goals like creating the “right to repair” and improving reusability in general, the introduction of a common charger and establishing a rewards system to encourage recycling electronics.

To learn more and read the post from the European Parliament please click here.

If you need to recycle electrical or electronic equipment safely Recycle IT are happy to help. Just send us an email or call 01 4578321 for more details.

Recycle IT is a not for profit, social enterprise based in Clondalkin, Co Dublin, Ireland.

Recycle IT Collection

Climate Change – What to do?

On By JMCEIn Electronic and Electrical RecyclingLeave a comment

Learn what you can do!

Recycling allows materials to be reused, re-purposed or recycled again and again.  This helps in conserving wildlife habitats, avoids further pollution and saves energy. Recycling safely alongside other small simple changes in your life can really make a difference to climate change.

Waste sent to landfill sites costs Irish taxpayers millions of euros every year, much of which could be saved by recovery, reuse or recycling. Waste produces emissions of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas contributing to climate change and after a number of years with severe weather events we can all see the effects of the climate change first hand.

Climate Change is Here
Climate Change is Here

Meeting emissions target is going to be very tough for Ireland. In 2012 the EPA estimated Ireland will exceed its allocated limit by 2017.

Ireland’s apparent inability to meet its obligations for emissions reduction is due to our transport and agriculture sectors but immediate help is available by simply taking one less trip, using a bike, going for a walk locally and by reducing reusing and recycling items around your house, school, warehouse, store or office.

The United Nations reported less than 20% of e-waste (electric or electronic waste) is formally recycled, with 80% either ending up in landfill or being informally recycled – much of it by hand in developing countries, exposing workers to hazardous and carcinogenic substances such as mercury, lead and cadmium. E-waste in landfill contaminates soil and groundwater, putting food supply systems and water sources at risk.

These type of activities and the negative effects are not unique to developing countries and can happen in Ireland if your items are disposed off incorrectly. Sometimes free “junk” collectors can be too good to be real!

Routes to ease Climate Change in 21

Below you will find 12 tips to help reduce the impacts of climate change, tips such as:

1: Switch to a renewable energy supplier in 2021.

2: Replace old kitchen appliances with energy efficient electrical appliances and recycle safely.

3: Use cleaner, greener light bulbs.

4: Unplug devices for climate, safety and money reasons.

5: Think about the way you travel and how often.

6: Insulate your home.

7: Plant a tree or two.

8: Grow your own fruit and veg.

9: Separate household waste.

10: Make and use your own compost bin.

11: Holiday in Ireland.

12: Cycle and include the family.

13: Recycle old paint cans at a recycling centre.

14: Don’t fill the kettle to make a cup of coffee or tea.

Recycling WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment).

If your in Ireland and have electrical, electronic, battery or lighting waste, you can Recycle IT free at authorised collection points. Use the interactive map to find your nearest local recycling centre, public collection day, electrical retailer and bulb exchange store. Even waste portable batteries can be recycled at your local newsagent.

In Dublin, the local authorities in South Dublin, Dublin City and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown work with Recycle IT to help offer residents collections for electrical and electronic waste as well as pure metal items. This annual service offered across suburbs in Dublin and helps householders dispose of large and small electrical appliances, IT equipment, small house gadgets and powered toys.

Recycle IT help thousands of householders and apartment dwellers yearly with their electrical recycling by providing an authorized, awarding winning, free or cost effective WEEE recycling collections.

The collections are held on week days with residents associations leading the way. Your local residents groups after making arrangements will notified you of your collection day with a flyer delivered to your property or by a text / whatsapp message up to 3 to 4 days before the collection happens in your estate.

E-Waste System Boards from Computers
Waste – Damaged and Broken Equipment

What’s accepted

Recycle IT accept old, damaged or unused electrical, electronic or pure metal items and all can be collected at the same time using our pre booked residents collection events or via personal recycling collections. Bikes, cookers, ovens, computers, phones, cables, exercise equipment, tools etc. Click here for full PDF lists

Just ask you local residents group to contact us and we can arrange a free collection from the homes in your estate or area. These collections are operated in association with WEEE Ireland.

Some guidelines

When putting items out for collection remember:

  • Keep the old items tidy, inside you garden, or on the kerb so the footpath or roadway is kept clear
  • If you think an unofficial collection are taking place, call us and we will arrange a collection from your door
  • Move items to the ground floor to allow for speedy collection
  • Let us know if items cannot be easily and safely lifted by two people.
  • Notify us advance if you have a request.
  • Do not leave sharp or dangerous objects with your electrical or pure metal items
  • Items should be secured if severe weather is expected
Old Metal Gates

What next?

Recycle IT are asking resident groups or tidy town groups to contact us in New Year. Give us a call on 01 4578321 to help declutter homes safely and reduce environment harm simply by recycling in an authorised way.

In the Interest of health safely and wellbeing please note – All items need to be accessible, disconnected and ready for collection. We will be following social distancing guidelines. We are happy to collect the item/s from a drive or garden / outside area / accessible & clear external location. Please remain mindful of social distancing and hand hygiene guidelines when recycling.

About Recycle IT 

Recycle IT, is a social enterprise offering electrical, electronic and metal recycling services through drop off and collection. Services are provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland and South Dublin County Council. Recycle IT are supported by Pobal and Dormant Accounts and authorized by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authorities across Leinster.

To find out about other items which might be suitable for reuse, repurposing or recycling please click here.

For more information on Recycle IT please call 01 4578321, email info@recycleit.ie or visit our website www.recycleit.ie

Growing a tree in a pot