Category: Family

Recycling used electrical equipment

Recycle small electrics now!

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

Small Matters

The waste electrical and electronic forum (WEEE Forum) reports an estimated 5.3 billion mobile/smartphones dropped out of use in 2022. Stacked flat on top of each other one and at an average depth of 9 mm these disused phones would cover a distance of 50,000 km which is the equivalent of travelling between Dublin (Ireland) and Sydney (Australia) approximately 3 times (17214 KM  x 3). That is a lot of old unused phones which could be recycled for good!

Mobiles Phones

Using and Replacing

As technology at home and in the office evolves, the speed at which people cease using their existing small electrical and electronic items and replace them with newer models happens with increased regularity. Days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday and gifting for Christmas increase exposure to new gadgets and drive consumers to purchase!

Small Mixed Electrical/Electronic Item – Recycle IT

What is Small?

Individuals young and old replace mobile phones, modems, toys, game consoles, chargers, virtual assistants (AI technology), smartwatches and fitness monitors without thinking too much about the older equipment. Did you know the average life of a smartphone and smartwatch is approx? 24 months.

There are reasons for a short life such as built-in obsolescence or the consumer’s perceived need or want for the newest product. Research by the German Environment Agency on the lifespan of consumer electronics can provide further information; just click here.

Small Household Electrical Items – Recycle IT

Before you dispose of old items please be aware many items contain valuable metals and plastics. With natural resources in limited supply, combined with ever-increasing waste disposal costs, it’s important that we safely recycle small electrical items so that they can be reused in new products.

Small Electrical Equipment List

Items like those listed above and below (if not fit for reuse) are usually shredded to reduce volume and are mechanically separated into their component parts (plastics, ferrous metals and non-ferrous metals). The materials collected will then be reused. For example, mixed-grade plastic can be used to make street and park furniture or multi-purpose decking. Any metals recovered are reused in the manufacture of many different types of new products including your new phone or tablet!

Small Electrical Equipment List (Continued)

What to do?

Recycle IT can help you recycle your small, old, unused or damaged electrical items including batteries of all types.  Pop your batteries in a small clear bag alongside items like kettles, toasters or small electric tools and they all will be safely recycled. Please don’t place them in the black, brown or green bin or leave them out for unauthorised collection.

Small Electrical Jukebox – Recycle IT

Recycle IT want to encourage all users of electrical items to recycle their unwanted, damaged, broken or outdated small electrical gadgets when recycling large items from their homes and offices. Clear out draws, shelves and bags used to store smaller items out of sight!

Recycle IT offer a community collection service, a business collection service and free drop-off to communities across Dublin and would like to see an increase in the amount of small electrical items received for safe recycling. If this does not work for you, simply place it in an envelope or small box and post it to us!

Please don’t horde items in the hope of future repair for reuse. Please do get items repaired quickly and if not please recycle!

For full lists of items that can be recycled by Recycle IT click here. (PFD files can be viewed or downloaded)

About Recycle IT

Recycle IT is an award-winning social enterprise providing a community, personal and business collection service for all types of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in Dublin and surrounding counties.

During 2022 Recycle IT offered to drop off and collection services to thousands of homes, schools, charities and businesses across Dublin and surrounding areas collecting a range of WEEE which includes thousands of computers, cables, monitors, microwaves and screens

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

For more information about Recycle IT please visit www.recycleit.ie or call 01 4578321.

Recycle IT – Dublin City Social Enterprise Award Winner 2022

Dublin Apartments Recycling Initiative

On By JMCEIn Awards, Dublin, Electronic and Electrical Recycling, Family, News, Social Enterprise, We Recycle ITLeave a comment

Electrical Recycling from Apartments

Over our years in operation, Recycle IT has predominantly engaged with householders, residents’ groups, schools, businesses, and community organisations to collect and safely recycle waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).  

Apartments dwellers have been harder to reach. There is no one way to describe apartment buildings. Apartment development and types of apartments differ widely, from high-rise developments to smaller individually owned properties.

Apartments

Some are large 300 (+) unit properties owned by international companies’ and others are developed with social needs in mind. This leads to numerous differences in the way waste and items for recycling are held onsite and collected. From recycling rooms to underground car parks, basements and outdoor collection areas, multiple different configurations are used depending on the apartment block.

These differences alongside contacting the right person make it hard to reach apartment recyclers easily. But now with a greater emphasis on the environment, safe recycling, and the mantra of reducing, reusing, recovering, and recycling, Recycle IT is going to try.

Apartment Growth

Another reason to try is that the increase of households in apartments continues to grow at a faster rate than any other accommodation type. This is according to Census 2016. The number of occupied apartments rose by 11.4% from 183,282 to 204,145 over the 2011-2016 period.

Apartments, which have increased in number by 85% since 2002, accounted for 12% of all household types in 2016, compared with 11.1% in 2011. More apartments than houses were granted planning permission in 2020 for the first time in the history of the State.

Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures show planning permissions were granted for 26,224 apartments in 2020. The majority (74%) is earmarked for Dublin.

Students’ apartment blocks are also a relatively new accommodated type in Dublin with 44 Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) currently operating; under construction; granted planning or seeking planning permission in 2019.

Apartment Building

Our Project

The purpose of the project is to define and support electrical recycling opportunities for new and existing apartment locations in Dublin.

Project Goals included:

  • ensuring access across Dublin to at least one electrical recycling collection event for all residents/households wishing to recycle within the apartment complex per year.
  • increase the quantity of electrical and electronic equipment recycled by the individual, shared and family households based in apartment complexes.
  • ensuring the electrical and electronic equipment collected are recycled safely.
  • improve the reuse and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) to help reach the European Union target of 65% minimum collection for recycling of WEEE (EU WEEE Directive).
Mixed Electrical Equipment for Collection and Recycling

Recycle IT is authorized to offer this WEEE pilot recycling project to apartments interested in arranging a recycling colleciton for all apartments in a complex located in the following Dublin county council areas.

  • South Dublin County Council 
  • Dublin City Council 
  • Dun Laoghaire / Rathdown County Council

Project Benefits

Waste electrical and electronic equipment is expected to grow continually over the coming decades.  As tech is increasingly used for work, entertainment, communication, home safety and garden and general maintenance, we will all accumulate lots more!  

A study of environmental impacts based on the whole recycling chain of electrical and electronic waste demonstrated that the recycling option is much more ecologically advantageous than simple incineration and should be encouraged as the most suitable treatment option. Source: European Commission.

WEEE Ireland Facts

Remember that recycling WEEE can provide the following benefits-

  • Offering residents the opportunity to recycle in the correct manner.
  • Less e-waste in the bin means fewer items in landfills and therefore, less pollution and toxic waste.
  • The amount of waste gets reduced, which gives you more savings on general waste collection costs and related taxes.
  • We can save energy by reusing metals such as aluminium instead of having to have them made from raw materials.
  • Environmentally conscious management companies can enhance their reputation.
  • Recycling is completely in line with the WEEE directive and ensures individuals and businesses stay compliant.
  • Help Ireland the European Union target of 65% minimum collection for recycling rate (EU WEEE Directive).
Residents Collection Event

What Next?

The responsibility for apartment buildings and their operation does vary and with that in mind we would like to contact:

  • Apartment property managers
  • Apartment building managers
  • Apartment facility managers
  • Apartment maintenance and/or cleaning teams
  • Apartment residents committee members or Chairperson

We would like to make contact with those persons or groups interested and with the authority to arrange the recycling of old electrical equipment from apartment complexes.

We are also interested to help older people living in managed and serviced apartments or residential care units recycle old electrical items safely.

Please do contact us at email, info@recycleit.ie, call 01 4578321 and we will follow up shortly after.

About Recycle IT

Recycle IT is an award-winning social enterprise providing recycling collection and drop-off services for all types of waste electrical, electronic equipment (WEEE) and pure metal items.

Recycle IT services are provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland. Recycle IT is supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development, Dormant Accounts Fund, Pobal, South Dublin County Council and authorized by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authorities across Leinster.

For further details about our services for apartment complexes, call us on 01 4578321, email info@recycleit.ie or visit the Recycle IT website at 

Apartments Dublin

Lighting Up Christmas & New Year 2023

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

Some Facts on Christmas Lights!

Over many generations and into the 20th century candles of all shapes and sizes were the preferred Christmas lights across Ireland. The dangers of mixing flickering flames with drying needles from real Christmas trees were accepted in order to make cities, towns, communities and homes brighter places for the dark days in December each year!

Parliament Street Dublin Christmas Light

The earliest manufactured Christmas lights were made of blown glass or porcelain and appeared on Christmas trees in the homes of wealthy people in the 1800s. In the early 1900s, it was fashionable to buy hand-painted bulbs shaped like animals and flowers.

As you can imagine the general public at first didn’t trust electric lights as a safe alternative to candles, but that changed after  US President, Grover Cleveland erected the first Christmas tree with electrical lights in 1895. With more than 100 multicoloured bulbs, the brightly coloured tree got the attention of people across the USA, and illuminated Christmas trees soon became the rage all over the world, —if you could afford one! This year in particular lots of families in homes across Ireland will be switching on many sets of new Christmas lights. Today most of these light will be LED (Light Emitting Diode) which mean traditional lights are no longer used and should be recycled.

Dublin Lights
Dublin Street Christmas Lights

We suggested finding a new use for your old lights so why not start today.  You will find some awesome DIY ideas for reusing/recycling old lights and bulbs at www.brit.co   The team at brit have listed lots of tips with pictures which demonstrate what can be achieved. Whether you plan to turn light bulbs into small vases or cover them with glitter to masquerade as a festive pear, these versatile pieces of glass can be reused anywhere.

Christmas lights can be reused at other times of the year.  You and your kids can make some of the lights covers in the shape of Valentine Hearts, Easter Bunnies or Halloween Pumpkins and you have colourful decorations for many different celebrates or festivals

Moving to LED Lights

Today LED lighting offers many benefits and features that were difficult,  if not impossible, to offer with old lighting used over many generations. These benefits, include enhancing operating energy leading to cost reductions, longer life and lower overall heat generation. Other benefits include appearance productivity and reduced temperatures produced by LEDs.

Electric Ireland reports that for most people, lighting accounts for around 11% of their electricity bills and switching your halogen light bulbs to energy-efficient LEDs can cut those lighting costs by up to 80%. In other words; the savings with LEDs add up fast.

For each light bulb, you replace with an LED light bulb, you will see immediate savings on your energy bill. So big savings at Christmas.

Christmas Tree – Lights up Dublin

You can read some LED tips below!

  1. LED lights usually cost only a little more than traditional Christmas lights and glow brighter.
  2. By changing to LED lights you will save on electricity during the festive season.
  3. A longer life span means lower carbon emissions. LED Lights last up to six times longer than other types of lights, reducing the requirement for frequent replacements.
  4. Strings of LED light can be much longer than traditional lights
  5. New LED lights generally stay cooler which is deemed safer.
  6. LED lights now create the glow of incandescent light or traditional fairy lights so you can relive memories of years ago.
  7. LED lights contain no toxic elements, therefore, they help to protect the environment and reduce toxic waste created by traditional Christmas lights.
  8. 95% of the energy in LED lights is converted into lighting with only 5% wasted as heat.

Before you buy lights this festive season, it’s important to compare your options and find out the type of lighting which work best for you and your home. Remember LEDs can save you money and reduce energy consumption which is a positive for the pocket and the environment.

Dublin At Christmas brings festive Christmas magic to Dublin's City Centre - DublinTown
Christmas Lights Dublin – Dublin Town

Festive Dublin in Lights

Dublin City Council is excited to announce the return of the spectacular ‘Dublin Winter Lights’. The lights were switched on in mid-November 2021 and will remain on until January 1st. This year 21 locations will feature in the form of 2 walking trails around the city that are transformed with colourful projections and lighting displays.

The eco-friendly ‘Dublin Winter Lights’ features 157,800 low-power LEDs, 100 tonnes of equipment and 15,780 metres of cable. Click here for more information and map details.

Recycling Lights

Whether it’s old indoor, outdoor, coloured or white lights, you should try to reuse or recycle. Old lights and other unused Christmas illuminations should not be left sitting in boxes in the store, shed or garage. They’ll usually never shine again once replaced by newer alternatives. In reality, unused items create unnecessary clutter which will need to be clear in the future.

If you do decide to recycle your old lights please do so in an environmentally friendly way. Recycle IT are happy to collect old lights and other electrical or electronic items or you can drop them off with our recycling team at no cost. You can also drop lights off at your local recycling or bring centre. 

About Recycle IT

Recycle IT is a not-for-profit social enterprise providing collection and drop-off services for all types of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Yearly Recycle IT offered to drop-off and collection services to thousands of homes and organisations across Dublin and surrounding areas collecting a range of WEEE which includes thousands of computers, televisions, toasters, cables, lawnmowers, monitors, microwaves and kettles.

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

Visit our website for further details.

Christmas Lights

Reusing or Recycling Toys

On By JMCEIn Dublin, Electronic and Electrical Recycling, Electronic Equipment, Family, News, Social EnterpriseLeave a comment

Toy Recycling for good! 

Toys help create an imaginative world of play and fun, they can help build social skills and ease demands on parents!  Sometimes the most expensive toys are not the best option as kids enjoy playing with items from their homes. They can build props like a playhouse or space rocket out of reused cardboard boxes and tubes, creating their own special world.

Battery-Operated Toys for Recycling – Recycle IT

Most homes with kids have lots of toys. Storage containers are filled to the brim with, dolls, action figures, building blocks, cars, remote-controlled flying machines, games devices,  and many other items. Our question? What do parents and children do with old favourites when the new toy or game arrives?

Involve Children

Kid toys are exactly that, kids toys so it’s wise to keep children involved in any decisions regarding the future of their toys. Parents can be helpful by reinforcing the fact that their once loved yet unwanted items will be reused by kids with a greater need and the fact that the environment benefits by keeping these items out of landfills or incinerators should be valued.

Battery-Operated Toys for Recycling - Recycle IT
Mixed Battery-Operated Toys for Recycling – Recycle IT

Toy Reuse

With Christmas right around the corner, many people are looking to find the best toys to buy this Christmas. And if you’re adding new toys to your children’s collection, you might be wondering what to do with the old toys.

Here are all the places you can donate gently used toys, including electronics, stuffed animals, dolls and other items. Before you pack up the car, call ahead to make sure the organisation you’ve chosen is currently accepting donations.

  • Local charity shops
  • Community creche facilities or playgroups
  • Facebook or online community reuse groups
  • Hospitals or doctor’s surgery play areas
  • Children’s homes and shelters
  • Community daycare facilities
  • Schools
Battery-Operated Toys for Recycling - Recycle IT
Battery-Operated Toys for Recycling – Recycle IT

Electronic Toys

Toys with computer chips, computer screens, lights, noise, plugs, batteries or other electronic components can and should be recycled. They should not be added to domestic waste. We know from experience this is not the case as very few electrical toys make their way to us for recycling. Recycle IT offer collection and drop-off services and will accept electrical and electronic toys including games consoles, cameras, tablets, remote control cars or planes, dolls, action figures, watches or replica phones. The list is endless but any toy with a plug or battery is acceptable for recycling.

Finally… 

Recycling and repurposing are environmentally responsible. You should involve your children. You can make sure your children understand the concept of recycling and the value old or broken toys have for others. Reused toys can bring joy to a child or recycling can help create a job!

Toys IMG_1195 (1)
 Electronic Toys / Entertainment Equipment for Recycling – Recycle IT

About Recycle IT

Recycle IT is an award-winning social enterprise providing recycling collection and drop-off services for all types of waste electrical, electronic equipment (WEEE) and pure metal items.

During 2022 Recycle IT operated drop-off and collection services to homes, schools, charities and businesses across Dublin and surrounding areas collecting a range of WEEE including thousands of batteries, computers, cables, monitors, kettles, microwaves and screens.

Recycle IT services are provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland. Recycle IT is supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development, Dormant Accounts Fund, Pobal, South Dublin County Council and authorized by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authorities across Leinster.

For further details about our free and cost-effective services call us on 01 4578321, email info@recycleit.ie or visit the Recycle IT website at www.recycleit.ie

Reduce Clutter during Summer 2022

On By JMCEIn Computer Recycling, Dublin, Electronic and Electrical Recycling, Family, News

Stress and Clutter

Clutter is an overabundance of possessions that collectively create chaotic and disorderly living spaces,” said Joseph Ferrari, a professor of psychology at DePaul University in Chicago.

A study, published in Current Psychology found a substantial link between procrastination and clutter challenges in the age groups; college students, young adults in their 20s and 30s and older adults, mainly in their 50s; so lots of people face clutter challenges and frustration with clutter tended to increase with age. (Source: New York Times, Jan 2019)

IMG_20190814_102939 (2)
Mixed IT Clutter – Recycle IT

Research by Dreamtown in the UK found that the average 10-year-old owns 238 toys but plays with just 12 daily (The Telegraph). The build-up of home clutter including toys, clothes, shoes and even gadgets creates a constant need to tidy up which in turn can create a feeling of stress. Do you recognize the feeling?

Life Time Clutter

Over the course of our lifetime, we will spend a total of 3,680 hours or 153 days searching for misplaced items, something we just stuck in a drawer! The research found we lose up to nine items every day—or 198,743 in a lifetime. Phones, keys, sunglasses, and paperwork top the list (The Daily Mail).

Store Room Clutter
Store Room Clutter – Computers – Monitors – Cables

One of the biggest clutter offenders is phones. Official data from ComReg Ireland shows that there were 5,432,182 active mobile phone subscriptions at the end of March 2013 and you can add lots more over the last number of years. It’s a fact, that we’re all buying more gadgets with the older or unused items building up in boxes, draws, cabinets, and storerooms.

In Ireland a 2015 study found that on average two in five Irish adults (38%) consider themselves to be hoarders, meaning homes are filling up (Empathy Research)  Further research commissioned by NESTA outlined that 58% of respondents found it hard to get rid of their possessions, meaning they keep them!

The National Association of Professional Organizations shows there is a direct correlation between productivity and clutter. Productivity declines when clutter and chaos rise. Piles of paper, unorganized kitchen space or playrooms, old receipts, bills, and paperwork stuffed in boxes or drawers will take over your home over a period of time.

Household Waste

Chris Stiff, a lecturer in psychology at Keele University says “one of the obvious advantages to a tidy house is that being able to easily locate things will cause you less stress,” There is evidence that tidy environments help us think more clearly.

How to Reduce Clutter

Clutter can include unread books, old electronic equipment, files which have not been filed, letters and cards, clothes thrown on the floor, and stuff that you no longer need, want or use but still possess. Remember, clutter is not usually confined to one area that can be spread across your home.

What to do?

Before anything else, make a simple plan with specific and simple goals that will reduce your frustration and stress.

Here are 12 tips to keep in mind as you start de-cluttering your home:

  1. Make a written note of all the areas you need to de-clutter.
  2. Prioritize the areas/zones for decluttering and assign your time.
  3. Do one area at a time.
  4. Set start and finish dates for each area.
  5. Be sure to pick dates that are real so you get the job completed.
  6. Make time and get help to work on specific areas which may take longer like a garden shed or attic.
  7. Use a system to save on time and energy.
  8. Plan how you might lift on move heavy items.
  9. Research and decide how you will have the clutter removed for recycling once assemble.
  10. Check if items still work!
  11. Use the 80/20 rule – we generally use 20%  of the things we own 80% of the time so do we really use or need the rest?
  12. Get over the money you spent on the items you never use. Once you do that it’s easier to offer for reuse or to recycle.

Once the items are ready you can decide what you want to do about removal. We have a list of some solutions which might work for you.

IMG_0692
Toys and Light – Recycle IT

14  Reduce and Recycle Tips after De-cluttering 

  1. Don’t hold onto items once they have made the box.
  2. Sell some items online, e.g. eBay, Done Deal or Adverts.
  3. Repurpose old stuff with some DIY and help from friends.
  4. Donate to charity shops.
  5. Share items with family, friends or colleagues e.g kids’ clothes or toys.
  6. Gift your items to friends or colleagues with an interest in them.
  7. Share items free for reuse. Go online or find an exchange network
  8. Recycle all old electrical, electronic and battery-operated items.
  9. Moving forward, recycle stuff immediately when used or end of life
  10. Consider gifting items based on condition.
  11. After the clear-out consider what you buy and recycle one day at a time.
  12. Switch to e-bills.
  13. Scan old photos and paperwork.
  14.  Preventing a build-up is a key step in fighting clutter.

Making the decision to get rid of your old items can be the hardest part of de-cluttering. Like many people, you may have trouble getting rid of items you once used or loved. You have also spent your hard-earned money on the items so they do hold value for you. These are real and valid feelings but no matter how challenging the decision, de-cluttering is necessary and helps reduce stress levels and it will create space!

20180717_121039
Office Clutter – Recycle IT

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

Bike Clutter – Accepted from homes for safe recycling – Recycle IT