Environmentally-Friendly Lifestyle

Making a move towards an environmentally-friendly life for you and your family can help improve your health and wellbeing while also offering positive benefits to your local environment. Moving away from chemical usage, unhealthy foods, over consumption, wasteful heating and other bad habits or routines can help make your life healthier and happier – sometimes it’s the feeling of change which makes the difference and just knowing you are doing the right thing can bring others with you.

The following 11 tips are all achievable for you and your family and can help achieve a greener cleaner year ahead.

1. Plant a Tree. Tress are like the lungs of planet earth. They breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen, they provide habitat for birds and other wildlife and they can absorb sound and reduce noise pollution. Magic or what!

2. Use Bins Better: Place three bins in the kitchen: one for recyclables; one for compostable vegetable waste and one for general waste. Agree  a storage space in your back garden or kitchen for your bins. Local hardware stores sell a range of bins or maybe reuse old containers. Once you have defined the space install the bins and you and your family can start making a difference.

3. Start Composting – Build a compost pile in your garden for kitchen vegetable waste and garden waste. After a few months, the compost should become dark and crumbly and you can then start using it as top-soil or fertilizer to make your garden greener than ever.

4. Reduce Packaging – Buy products with less packaging and use re-usable plates, cups and bags. Buy vegetables loose. Put leftovers into reusable tupperware type containers with lids instead of using aluminium foil or plastic clingfilm.

5. Recycling Centre or Bring Bank – Locate the nearest recycling centre to you and research the wide variety of materials they accept including cardboard, paper, plastic, glass and much more. Remember don’t litter at recycling centres or bottle banks. Take home or recycle any boxes or containers you used.

6. Gifts – Consider buying tickets and vouchers as gifts for weddings, birthdays or anniversaries. Try re-using paper, fabric or ribbon to wrap presents. It makes gifting individual. quirky and personal.

7. Parties – Have fun and afterwards recycle glass bottles and aluminium cans in separate bags or bins. Remember plastic bottles (PET and HDPE bottles) can be recycled at most recycling centres. Hint – Look for 3 chasing arrows with either a number 1 or number 2 inside – this means these can and bottle can be recycled in Ireland. Enjoy the party!

8. Clean – Wash out all beverage containers including milk and juice cartons. Rinse out bottles and cans, remove lids and flatten plastic containers to save space.

9. Batteries – Save up all the used batteries for recycling, then bring them to school, your local supermarket or Recycle IT. Change to rechargeable batteries for battery operated toys and gadgets. It saves the environment and your money!

10. Gadgets – People are always updating phones and its estimated that over a million old mobile phones plus many other gadgets are unused in Ireland. Most recycling centre accept old mobile phones and electronic gadget as will Recycle IT. You can also try selling or donating your unwanted gadgets. This promotes reuse. Reuse is good!

11. Coffee and Water – Bottled water and coffee cups create mountains of waste daily. They are inefficient, expensive, and harmful to our world. Instead, try using refillable coffee cups and water bottles; Bring a coffee cup to work for reuse or try a water filter to cleanse the tap water followed by a quick chill in the fridge.

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 and electronic equipment (WEEE). During 2016 Recycle IT offered drop off and collection services to 100,000 homes and businesses across Dublin and surrounding areas collecting a range of WEEE which includes thousands of computers, cables, monitors, microwaves and TV’s.

Recycle IT services are 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 Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow.

Amazing Figures for recycling in 2017

Its New Year 2017 but our story starts in 2005 when an estimated 33.2 million washer appliances were produced in the European Union (EU). 18 million of these were washing machines 9.7 million were dishwashers and 5.5 million were tumble dryers. (Source: Energy: Studies for Eco-Design) This means on average 1 in 12 EU citizens purchased a washing appliance in 2005.

If we look at this in a different way, it now just over a 11 year later (the average washing machine life) and a similar number of people should be recycling their old washing appliance in an ecofriendly way. This included 1.18 million families located all over Ireland. (CSO 2012). In 2013 Irish people recycled 19,463 metric tonnes of large household appliances include washing machines. On average the approx weight of washing machine is 75KG so that’s alot of recycled washing machines.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (all types)

WEEE is a complex mixture of materials and components and if not properly managed, can cause environmental and health problems. Moreover, the production of modern electronics requires the use of scarce and expensive resources

In 2013, the amount of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) collected varied considerably across the EU Member States, from 1.2 kg per inhabitant in Romania to 18.4 kg per inhabitant in Sweden. The considerable variation in the amounts collected reflects differences in Electrical and Electronic Equipment consumption/purchase levels as well as the different performance levels of the waste collection schemes in place.

A comparison of WEEE collection in 2007 and 2013 shows that separate collection has improved significantly in most of the countries. Decreasing amounts for WEEE collection were reported by only seven EU Member States including Ireland where the level of separate collection was already high so Ireland is still doing very well. (Source: eurostate)

Computers in 1.3 Million Households

It was reported in 2012 by the CSO that 83% of households in Ireland, which translates to approx. 1.37 million homes have a computer. Its also means in 2016/2017 these same households will have a computer to recycle as PC’s are usually replaced every 4 ½ years. The replacement rate was confirmed by a survey, carried out by Crucial, which polled more than 1,000 PC owners aged 16-70 in the US, France and the UK.

PC’s, laptops, phones and tablets can contain toxic substances, and are effectively hazardous waste so recycling with a reputable organisation is important. Ireland has laws and directives governing recycling and lots of authorized recyclers but still computer waste finds its way to developing countries. This is alarming and means electronic goods are disposed of in some instances with no care or concern for the world’s environment.

Recycling with thousands of homes and organisations.

Recycle IT is a social enterprise offering recycling services to over 100,000 homes, as well as community organisations, charities and businesses across Dublin. We recycle Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) including washing machines, dishwashers, heaters, microwaves, ovens, computers, monitors, refrigerators, freezers, batteries, lights and much more.

We are happy to help you recycle the items list above and any other electrical items you may have.

Stress free collections or drop off

The team at Recycle IT believe electrical recycling does not have to be hard or stressful and in fact it can be a real positive for the environment, for communities and for the economy.  Recycling reduces the use of natural resources, it creates employment and brings communities together through collection events or recycling days resulting in cleaner and happier places to live.

Recycle IT offer a range of safe, helpful and friendly electrical recycling services including free collection and drop off service. Businesses can avail of collections and free WEEE to Work days can be arranged.  If you have an immediate need Recycle IT can provide a cost effective personal and business collection service within a few days and we can assist with lifting and moving your appliances or IT equipment.

Recycle IT work in association with your local authority and are partners with WEEE Ireland in recycling any item with a plug or battery. Our work helps create and offer training and employment opportunities for people returning to work.

To learn more please visit  www.recycleit.ie.  You can telephone 01 4578321 or email info@recycleit.ie  Recycle IT is located at Unit 14/2 Crag Terrace, Clondalkin Industrial Estate, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.

Read our blog post on Recycling Computers Safely

Promoting European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR)

The 2016 European Week for Waste Reduction runs from November 19 to 27th and is an initiative to promote the implementation of awareness-raising actions to help sustain resources and improve waste management.

The week aims to encourages a wide range of audiences including public authorities, businesses, civil society as well as communities and individuals to get involved in waste reduction.

Its main aims include

Raising awareness about waste reduction, product reuse and material recycling

Highlight the work accomplished by organisation involved in Waste Reduction Week

Mobilise and encourage individuals to concentrate on four key action themes including.

• Reduce – Strict avoidance and reduction at source
• Reuse – Preparing for reuse and reuse
• Recycle – Waste sorting and recycling
• Let’s Clean Up Europe! – European Clean-Up Day (May 2017)

Actions for waste reduction including reduce, reuse and recycle should be part of everyday life. Please can click here to read more about ideas for  reduce and reuse.

Focus on Recycling

Recycling means any recovery operation taking place after collection and by which waste materials are reprocessed into products, materials or substances whether for the original or other purposes. Recycling reduces the amount of waste that is land filled or incinerated and secures that waste material, after being transformed, forms part in manufacturing new products. Recycling, waste constitutes a source of secondary raw material and therefore helps to decrease the use of material, energy resources, pollution and natural resources.

Recycling includes the reprocessing of organic material but does not include energy recovery and the reprocessing into materials that are to be used as fuels or for back filling operations.

Some Ideas to Increase Recycling Activities

• Individuals can take the recycling lead at home, in school or at work.
• Display information which informs others including kids about the environmental, social and economic impact of waste.
• Design easily understandable sorting guides and share them with your target audience.
• Plan and introduce waste sorting at work, in schools, in public spaces where to live (supported by sorting games or rewards).
• Arrange site visits at recycling or composting centres to learn more.
• Invite recycling organisations to work events, libraries, schools or other locations to speak about the environmental, social and economic impact of waste and the benefits of recycling.
• Organise  clean-ups – click here for more details

Sharing

When you decide on an idea remember to take pictures, record audio and videos and then use what you’ve recorded to show the results.  Publish your achievements using print, social media, community TV or via a local exhibition.

Promote the Benefits of Recycling including

• Reduces the amount of waste and resources lost in landfills or burnt;
• Prevents pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials;
• Saves energy needed to make new products from raw material;
• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change;
• Helps sustain the environment for future generations;
• Helps create new well-paying jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries.

Real Recycling

Recycle IT works daily in Dublin and the surrounding areas to recycle waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and our team are passionate about doing their best to achieve our objectives.

Recycle IT offer a selective collection service for WEEE and then sort and stream material collected which is essential for compliance with waste regulations. Establishing selective collection and drop off services such as those offer by Recycle IT  encourages individuals and organisations who might not otherwise, to sort and stream their waste. This has in turn helped improved WEEE recycling rates in Ireland.

Remember all waste should be separated, whether home or in the office. It should be disposed of correctly and electrical waste should be recycled with an authorised and licensed service.

About Recycle IT

Recycle IT is a not for profit social enterprise providing a collection and drop off service for all types of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). During 2015 Recycle IT offered drop off and collection services to 100,000 homes and businesses across Dublin and surrounding areas collecting a range of WEEE which includes thousands of computers, cables, monitors, microwaves and TV’s.

Recycle IT services are provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland. Recycle IT are supported by South Dublin County Council and authorized by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authorities across Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow.

Visit our website for further details.