Category: Social Enterprise

Business trading for social outcomes

Ministerial visit to Recycle IT

On By JMCEIn Awards, Computer Recycling, Dublin, Electronic and Electrical Recycling, News, Social EnterpriseLeave a comment

Monday, March 6th 2023

Minister for Community Development, Integration and Charities, Joe O’Brien TD, made a visit to Recycle IT on Monday, March 6th, 2023. Board members and the staff team were on hand to greet the minister and share details on the work of Recycle IT a social enterprise striving to create training and employment opportunities through the recycling of old, damaged, or unused electrical and electronic equipment collected from homes and organisations. 

Minister Joe O’Brien on arrival at Recycle IT

Announcement

During the visit to Recycle IT, Minister Joe O’Brien made time for an important announcement, the Minister said:

“I am delighted to launch a new Call for Applications under the Community Services Programme (CSP). The purpose of this funding is to support social enterprises and community/voluntary organisations with an additional strand focusing on circular economy projects that are either Traveller led or ones that will primarily employ members of the Traveller community.”

Funding of €1 million will be available for this new call in 2023 which will provide new organisations with an opportunity to access support to employ additional staff in line with the programme’s re-defined sub-programmes and new vision, which were approved in 2022.

Minister Joe O’Brien and Recycle IT Voluntary Board of Directors

Pre-application support workshops will be rolled out to ensure organisations are fully equipped with the information that they need to apply for this funding. As a first step, an Information Event will be held for organisations interested in applying for the programme on the week beginning 20 March 2023. Details will be shared on the Pobal CSP webpage and on the Department of Rural and Community Development social media channels. Organisations that wish to be notified about the workshops can also contact csp@pobal.ie

Following the pre-application support, organisations will be invited to submit a short concept note to Pobal outlining their proposal for assessment against the objectives of the call and organisations will then be informed whether their proposal fits with the call.

The Minister continued:

“The CSP supports a range of services, facilities and activities that enhance the quality of life for specific disadvantaged groups within our communities. This open call will be essential in broadening the range of services available and bringing new organisations onto the programme. I am delighted to say that we will also have a range of support workshops to assist those organisations in applying to the CSP Programme.”

Minister Joe O’Brien

About CSP

The Community Services Programme (CSP) supports over 420 community-based organisations including Recycle IT to provide local services through a social enterprise model. This model helps create training and employment opportunities for specific disadvantaged groups and individuals, such as people with disabilities, Travellers, recovering drug misusers, ex-prisoners, and long-term unemployed.

About Recycle IT

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

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

Recycling services offered by Recycle IT are provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland. Recycle IT is supported by the Pobal-managed, Community Services Programme, Dormant Accounts and by South Dublin County Council. Recycling services are 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.

The Recycler IT Team – Farewell to Minister Joe O’Brien

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 organisation’s 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.

Typical Electrical Appliances in an Apartment

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. Multiple configurations are used, from recycling rooms to underground car parks, basements and outdoor collection areas, 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 accommodation type in Dublin with 44 Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) currently operating; under construction; granted planning or seeking planning permission in 2019.

Student Apartments Dublin

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 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

News! Paint Reuse Network

On By JMCEIn Climate change, Dublin, Family, News, Social EnterpriseLeave a comment

Painting can create something beautiful and helps stimulate creativity while helping reduce mental strain and boosts a sense of accomplishment once complete. As we know, reducing metal strain can aid a happier, healthier lifestyle and helps improve overall mental health.

From an environmental viewpoint, water-based and oil-based paints can contain hazardous materials and should be managed safely once you are finished using the standard buckets, cans, or aerosol cans (spray paint) trays and brushes Paint is regulated as hazardous waste so handling and recycling paint correctly is essential to environmental well-being.

Household Paint for Reuse or Recycling

The National Paint Reuse Network

The National Paint Reuse Network was launched in late 2021 and has been going from strength to strength! Yearly in Ireland, 2,000 tonnes of surplus paint are exported for incineration. The National Paint Reuse Network plans to reduce this waste by encouraging paint reuse through redistribution to local community initiatives and individuals with painting projects at home!

The Network, set up by Rediscovery Centre, Dublin supported by Ireland’s three main waste management planning offices. The three regional offices are:

The paint reuse network aims to provide training and best practice guidance on the reuse and remixing of water-based paints while also facilitating networking and collaboration between members.

The Rediscovery Centre based in Dublin has been working on paint reuse in Ballymun since 2007 and will facilitate and support new projects wishing to replicate paint reuse across Ireland.

Just Finished Painting – Recycle Safely

Roger Warburton, Programme Director at Rediscover Centre said ” we set up the network to support new projects to get off the ground, build a support network, provide technical expertise that encourages more paint reuse across the country and provide used paint for people to buy and locations for paint they cannot use to be donated. We’d encourage any organisation or local authority interested in paint reuse to get in touch.”

All colours of water-based non-hazardous paints for internal walls and ceilings can be donated and reused.

All paint should be donated at Civic Amenity sites or Recycling Centre as soon as possible to preserve quality.

Donating Paint for Reuse

Please note that Civic Amenity sites each have their own criteria for paint donations, including a charge for paint donation. Some sites do not accept paint donations. Please check with your local civic amenity site for more information and click here to see 12 civic amenity sites working to accept paint for reuse.

Buying Paint for Reuse

The Paint Reuse Network provides quality paint at a great price. The reused paint produced is non-hazardous and water-based for internal use on walls and ceilings and the quality paints are available in a range of colours that can be tailored to individual needs. The small cost per litre contributes to the cost of providing paint for reuse services across Irish communities, reducing the environmental impact of paint disposal in Ireland. It allows paint reuse organisations to provide ongoing training opportunities within their communities. Click here to see the location from which paint can be purchased.

Establishing a Paint Reuse Project

Membership to the Paint Reuse Network is open to any group, individual or organisation operating a paint reuse initiative within Ireland. They need to commit to the values and vision of the network. Network members are provided with networking, training, technical guidance, policy and legislative support, communications & business development advice.

For further information and guidance on Household, Harazous Waste click here

Learn more about social enterprise in Ireland with Conor Pope from The Irish Times, click here

Painting awaiting Reuse or Recycling

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’s 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.

Recycle IT – Collection Van

Regulations – Deposit Return Scheme

On By JMCEIn Climate change, Dublin, Family, News, Plastic, Social Enterprise1 Comment

Plastic Bottles and Aluminium Cans

Did you know, drink cans and plastic bottles will soon be returnable for cash as part of a nationwide scheme to reduce litter and increase recycling of metal and plastics for reuse!

Government legislation related to the ‘deposit return scheme’ was published in Nov 2021 and leads the way for the selection of service operators

We are looking forward to this recycling scheme! It brings back memories of collecting glass bottles for a refund many years ago. The bottles were then all reused. Hopefully, this scheme will be user friendly!

Plastic bottles holding 2.3 litres are least harmful to the planet | New Scientist
Plastic Drinks Bottles

This new initiative is part of Irelands policies on Climate Action and Environment.

The intent of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in Ireland is to increase the capture rate of single-use Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) and aluminium beverage containers. PET is a clear, strong, and lightweight plastic that is widely used for packaging foods and beverages, especially convenience-sized soft drinks, juices and water.

Read the Press Release Below

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan T.D., has signed the legislative regulations for a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in Ireland for plastic bottles and aluminium cans, which will come into force next year.

The Separate Collection (Deposit Return Scheme) Regulations, Statutory Instrument no. 599, provide the framework within which the Minister may approve a scheme operator. The regulations also set out the obligations that will fall to producers, retailers and return point operators under the scheme.

The introduction of a DRS scheme will assist in reducing single-use plastics, help Ireland meet EU targets and promote a wider circular economy.

A DRS is a system used to incentivise consumers to return their empty beverage containers for recycling or reuse. The DRS being introduced in Ireland is focused on plastic bottles and aluminium cans, to ensure that more of these are captured for recycling and to avoid these being discarded as litter.

Drinks Cans

In drafting the regulations, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications has worked closely with representatives from the beverage industry who will fund and operate the scheme. A commitment to establish a DRS was part of the Programme for Government and the timeline for its establishment was set out in the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, published in September 2020.

The next step is the appointment, by the Minister, of an approved body to operate the scheme. Further engagement is also required with stakeholders, to fix the rate of the deposit to be paid on in-scope bottles and cans.

The scheme is expected to become operational across the country in Quarter 3 of 2022.

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 for WEEE Recycling with permit details available here.

Recycle IT – Collection Vehicle

COP26 and its Outcomes

On By JMCEIn Awards, Climate change, Electronic and Electrical Recycling, News, Social EnterpriseLeave a comment

What is COP26

COP26 is the 2021 United Nations climate change conference. This was the 26th annual summit – giving it the name COP26. The UK was President for COP26 which was in Glasgow between Oct 31st, 2021 and Nov 12th, 2021

For nearly three decades the UN has been bringing together almost every country on earth for global climate summits – called COPs – which stands for ‘Conference of the Parties’. In that time climate change has gone from being a fringe issue to a global priority.

COP26 Conference

COP21 – Paris 2015. 

For the first time ever, something momentous happened: every country agreed to work together to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees and aim for 1.5 degrees, to adapt to the impacts of a changing climate and to make money available to deliver on these aims. 

The Paris Agreement was born. The commitment to aim for 1.5 degrees is important because every fraction of a degree of warming will result in the loss of many more lives lost and livelihoods damaged.

Under the Paris Agreement, countries committed to bringing forward national plans setting out how much they would reduce their emissions – known as Nationally Determined Contributions, or ‘NDCs’. 

They agreed that every five years they would come back with an updated plan that would reflect their highest possible ambition at that time. 

COP26 Expectations - News
COP26 Photo

Whats expected

As World leaders gathered in Glasgow to address climate, delegates are being asked to accelerate action on climate change and commit to more ambitious cuts in their countries’ emissions, all in an effort to limit global temperature rises. Did they?

Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change has said “the devastating loss of lives and livelihoods this year due to extreme weather events clarifies how important it is to convene COP26 despite the impacts of the pandemic still being felt. We are on track for a global temperature rise of 2.7C, while we should be heading for the 1.5C goal. Clearly, we are in a climate emergency. Clearly, we need to address it. Clearly, we need to support the most vulnerable to cope. To do so successfully, greater ambition is now critical,

Leaders and delegates need to demonstrate greater ambition to achieve progress on all elements of the climate change agenda, including reducing emissions, addressing loss and damage from extreme climatic events and increasing the provision of support to developing countries. Did they?

Background

With 197 Parties engaged, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has near-universal membership and is the parent treaty of the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement.

The main aim of the Paris Agreement is to keep a global average temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius and to drive efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The UNFCCC is also the parent treaty of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The ultimate objective of all agreements under the UNFCCC is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system, in a time frame that allows ecosystems to adapt naturally and enables sustainable development.

COP-26 & Collaborative lighthouse projects for Climate Action - MaREI
COP26 Photo

COP26 Explained

International climate summits are complex. The United Kingdom COP26 team, want to make it as easy as possible for everyone to understand what COP26 is and what the team is working to achieve. 

These are a few helpful sources of information to get you started:

Irish Government at COP26

A Taoiseach Michéal Martin attended the World Leaders’ Summit on 1st and 2nd November, whilst Minister for Agriculture, Marine and Food Charlie McConalogue, is expected to attend COP26 later in the week.

Minister for the Environment Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan and a delegation arrived at COP26 on 8th November. Ireland to co-host four events including Public Engagement and Renewable Energy’ and European Peatlands Initiative’ at the Peatlands Pavilion.

Experts from environmental interest groups and government entities, including Met Eireann, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) also attended COP26 in Glasgow over the 2 weeks.

For more news click here.

Irish organisations at COP26

The following organisations are planning to visit or partake in Cop26:

  • An Taisce.
  • IEN (Irish Environmental Network).
  • Christian Aid.
  • Student Climate Action Network.
  • Trocaire.
  • Oxfam.
  • Friends of the Earth.
  • Macra na Feirme.
  • NYCI (National Youth Council of Ireland).
  • ECO-UNESCO (working to conserve the environment and empower young people).

To learn more and keep up to date on COP26 click here.

Attendance Farewell

Outcomes

The outcome document, known as the Glasgow Climate Pact, calls on 197 countries to report their progress towards more climate ambition next year, at COP27, set to take place in Egypt.

Beyond the political negotiations and the Leaders’ Summit, COP26 brought together about 50,000 participants online and in-person to share innovative ideas, solutions, attend cultural events and build partnerships and coalitions.

Outcomes of the Glasgow Climate Change Conference can be found here in advance unedited versions (AUVs).

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 for WEEE Recycling with permit details available here.

Recycle IT Logo