Two Awards for Social Enterprise and Circular Economy

Dublin City recently celebrated the very best of local innovation and social impact at the Dublin City Social Enterprise Awards, held at the historic Mansion House in Dublin 2 on Thursday Sept 11th 2025

Recycle IT is proud to announce that it has been awarded a Dublin City Social Enterprise Award 2025 and the Nancy Ward Circular Economy Award 2025, in recognition of a commitment to community impact, circular innovation, and environmental sustainability.

The Dublin City Social Enterprise Award is a mark of distinction that celebrates organisations making a real difference in people’s lives. This achievement reflects hard work, vision, and dedication to creating positive change. Beyond recognition, the award provides valuable funding, resources, and opportunities to grow. It also builds awareness and trust, helping to strengthen partnerships, inspire staff and trainees, and expand the organisation’s ability to deliver meaningful social, economic, and environmental benefits.

In addition, Recycle IT is deeply honored to receive the Nancy Ward Circular Economy Award 2025, offered in association with the Dublin City Social Enterprise Awards and sponsored by The Entrepreneurs Academy. This award celebrates Recycle IT and its approach to reusing, reducing, and recycling – practices that help drive a more sustainable future. The recognition is especially meaningful as it pays tribute to the late Nancy Ward, a much-loved colleague and friend of The Entrepreneurs Academy, who passed away in April 2023

“These awards underscore the strategic importance of social enterprises in addressing both community and environmental challenges,” said Una Lavelle, General Manager at Recycle IT. “They validate the commitment of our team, partners, and stakeholders while providing the resources and visibility needed to expand our impact.”

Recycle IT extends its appreciation to Dublin City Council, Inner City Enterprises, the Entrepreneurs Academy, and all supporters who have made this recognition possible. These achievements further strengthen the organisation’s capacity to scale operations, enhance collaboration, and deliver lasting benefits for society and the environment.

You will find a list of all the hard working Social Enterprise awardees below.

Dublin City Social Enterprise Awards 2025 – Awardees:  

Please take a minute to view a short video of each social enterprise highlighting their role and operations in addressing a social need on LEO Dublin City’s YouTube Channel.  

About Recycle IT

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

Recycle IT is supported by Pobal and Dormant Accounts and authorised by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authorities across the east midlands waste region.

Our goal is to create training and employment opportunities through the provision of waste management services. Surplus earned income is reinvested in operational, and employment-related costs.

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

Autumn Reuse – Home, Work, and School

Autumn is a season of change. The leaves turn bright colors, the air feels cooler, and days become shorter. It is also the perfect season to think about reuse and how small actions at home, work, and school can make a big difference in caring for our planet. To understand why reuse is important, it helps to know the difference between climate and weather.

Reuse Climate and Weather

Weather is what we see and feel outside each day. It might be sunny, rainy, windy, or cold. Weather changes quickly, sometimes in just a few hours. Climate, however, is the pattern of weather in a place over a long time, usually decades. For example, we say a place has a warm climate if it is hot most of the year, even though some days may be cooler. Climate change means the long-term patterns of Earth’s weather are shifting, often because of human actions like burning fossil fuels and wasting resources. Reuse helps slow down climate change by reducing waste and lowering pollution.

Reuse at Home

At home during autumn, families can find many ways to reuse. Old clothes that are too small can be passed down to younger children, instead of buying new ones. Jars and containers from food can be cleaned and used to store leftovers or organize supplies. Autumn leaves can be gathered and turned into compost for gardens, instead of being thrown away. Even holiday decorations can be reused each year rather than buying new items. By reusing, households throw away less, which means fewer bin trucks on the road and less energy wasted.

Reuse at Work

Workplaces can also reuse materials in simple ways. Offices can print on both sides of the paper, or better yet, reuse scrap paper for notes. Coffee mugs and reusable bottles are smarter choices than single-use cups. Old office supplies like folders, binders, and envelopes can often be used again instead of buying new ones.

During autumn and in the lead up to Christmas, many workplaces also use decorations. These can be stored carefully and reused each year, reducing costs and waste. When workers reuse, businesses spend less money, reduce landfill waste, and lower their impact on the climate

Reuse at School

Schools are perfect places to practice reuse. Students can reuse notebooks by filling in every page, and teachers can save supplies like rulers, scissors, and art materials for the next class. Bulletin board decorations can be stored and used again each autumn. Lunchboxes, reusable water bottles, and cloth napkins are all better for the environment than disposable items. Even sports uniforms and books can be passed down to new students. By reusing, schools teach children that caring for the planet is a daily habit.

Find 10 suggestions for your school listed below

• Reuse paper – Write on both sides or use scrap paper for notes and drafts.
• Refill water bottles – Encourage students to bring reusable bottles instead of disposable ones.
• Save supplies – Store scissors, rulers, and glue sticks for use year after year.
• Reuse books – Share textbooks, novels, and workbooks with other classes or pass them down.
• Lunch containers – Bring food in reusable lunchboxes and cloth napkins instead of plastic bags.
• Reuse decorations – Save posters, banners, and seasonal art for the next year.
• Uniform exchange – Organize swap days so students can pass on outgrown uniforms.
• Art projects – Use clean scrap materials (like cardboard, jars, or fabric) for crafts.
• Bulletin boards – Reuse display materials by updating them instead of starting from scratch.
• Technology reuse – Donate or repurpose old computers and tablets for learning centers instead of throwing them away.

Finally

Autumn reminds us of cycles in nature. Just as leaves fall and return as soil for new growth, we can reuse items to give them new life. Weather may change from day to day, but climate is the long-term health of our planet. By reusing at home, at work, and in schools, we can help slow down climate change. Small actions, done together, make a big difference for our future.

About Recycle IT

Recycle IT is an award-winning, not-for-profit, social enterprise established to create employment and promote environmental awareness through recycling and reuse. We work in partnership with WEEE Ireland and are authorized by your local authority to provide electrical, electronic and pure metal recycling collections across Dublin since 2007. Recycle IT are fully compliant with WEEE Recycling Requirements and permit details are available here. Where possible, Recycle IT will recycle for reuse!.

For more information about Recycle IT please click here.