Category: We Recycle IT

Electrical Recycling – Do more this year!

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

Research from WEEE Ireland

WEEE Ireland, Ireland’s large waste electrical compliance scheme says over 15 million small appliances such as coffee makers, calculators, kettles and keyboards were handed back for safe recycling. This is alongside with the equivalent of 66 million used AA batteries which made there back to into the circular economy.

Mixed Cables and Chargers

WEEE figures also reveal that, for every 10 new tech products sold in Ireland, only 4 are eventually coming back for recycling when they become obsolete. Did you know, one in four 18-24-year-olds and one in five aged 35-44 get rid of common household electrical items such as smart watches, earbuds and blue tooth speakers in general waste bins. 

Almost half of Ireland’s small electronics are bought in November and December each year – but data from WEEE Ireland shows only one in three are coming back for recycling.

Mixed Electronic Equipment

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Ireland figures reveal more than 11 million small electronic items from personal grooming to tech were bought here last year, 4.4 million of them across Black Friday and Christmas.

People’s concerns about personal data are stopping one in five (21%) adults from recycling their unused tech items – while a further 22% of adults keep old technology equipment as backups, new research reveals.

The Empathy Research survey for WEEE Ireland, the largest Irish not-for-profit compliance scheme also found that 12% of people still put small electronic waste items in general household bins. This is truly unbelievable!

Mixed Electronic Equipment

Storing and hoarding

Digital hoarding, e-hoarding, e-clutter, data hoarding, or cyber hoarding are all terms used to describe keeping IT equipment beyond a reasonable time for use.

In Time Magazine Pascal Leroy, director general of the WEEE Forum, a Brussels-based association of global e-waste management organizations, says “It’s really an issue of great concern, this hoarding, and it’s difficult to address because it’s about consumer behaviour—why do people behave the way they do?” says “There is something in us that prevents us from properly disposing of it or properly recycling it.”

Old Electronic Equipment – Home or Office

When you choose to store or hoard older items (no longer used) you are limiting the number of reusable resources available to produce new electronic items. There are lots of components in older equipment that can be reused in the manufacturing of new mobile phones, tablets, or laptops.

For example, the plastic and glass from screens/monitors can be reused, therefore limiting the amount of glass and plastic that is required to create new monitors.

Recycling your old phones, tablets, and laptops with Recycle IT also helps create work experience opportunities and local jobs which is beneficial to the local community.

You can read more about this topic here.

Doing more!

CEO of WEEE Ireland, Leo Donovan, is now urging consumers to dig out old and broken tech and their accessories for recycling, emphasising the straightforward nature of backing up and wiping old devices.

“Most phone and laptop manufacturers have user-friendly instructions on their websites for backing up and deleting data, ensuring that valuable information is not lost or exposed.

Mixed Electronic and Electrical Equipment

“If recycled correctly, these old and broken devices, along with their integrated batteries, chargers and cables, provide a significant source of critical and strategic secondary raw materials,” said Mr Donovan.

Recycling laptop, mobile phones and other household and personal electronic devices help reduce the use of new natural resources.

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.

Recycle IT offer drop-off and collection services to both homes and organizations in Dublin and surrounding areas collecting a range of WEEE which includes thousands of printers and we can help recycle yours!

If you require data destruction we can offer a cost-effective service to households and organisations. Just email us to find out 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.

To speak with Recycle IT please call 01 4578321 or email us here

Visit our website www.recycleit.ie

Recycle IT Van 2025

Old Telephony Equipment: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

On By JMCEIn Climate change, Collections, Electronic and Electrical Recycling, Social Enterprise, We Recycle ITLeave a comment

Innovation in Home and Work Phones

No so long ago desk phones were an essential part of business communication in every office, but over time and especially post pandemic, it has been replaced in many cases by the mobile and laptop communication using software such as Zoom or Teams.

Deskphone

Many telecoms companies in Europe are retiring PTSN and ISDN services The PTSN (Public Switch Telephone Network) gave us what we all know as a landline. This is the fixed phone connection that many of us used at home or work.  Similarly ISDN (Integrated Service Digital Network phone services will be switched off because it’s now outdated and can’t manage modern business communications.

Change

Change has already come in the United States where a 2022 National Health Interview Survey, reveals 72.6% of adults (about 186 million) and 81.9% of children (nearly 60 million) lived in households that did not have a landline telephone but did have at least one wireless telephone

In Ireland the proportion of households with a fixed line telephone has fallen steadily since 2004, when 86.9% of households had a fixed line telephone in their home. By 2019 this had reduced to 59.2% of households – Source – Central Statistics Office.

Household Fixed Line Telephone Ownership

What next?

Home and work phone and broadband services are changing, as steps are taken to enhance and upgrade the technologies on Irish networks over time. These enhancements are not unique to Ireland and are happening all around the world.  

As change happens VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology will allow us make calls over an internet connection. This can be done using a computer, laptop, smartphone, tablet or any other electronic mobile communication device. 

As fibre broadband becomes an increasingly available technology, and fixed landlines decrease, VoIP services will be in more demand in years ahead. Consumers should see lower costs for calls particularly international calls

Office Phones and Cables

Desk phones service over broadband

You can still keep your home phone service over your fibre broadband internet. A home phone service over fibre broadband (Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)), can still use a standard telephone handset, but it will be plugged into the internet modem instead of into a socket in the wall.

If you need new equipment your service provider should arrange to supply the equipment needed to keep your landline phone working – for example, a new modem, new telephone handset or if you need a new broadband service installed, your provider may be able to advise you.

Office Phones

Recycling Old Phone Equipment

Landline or desk telephones should not be placed in the green or black bin. Landline telephones are made with chemicals and hazardous materials found in plastics, circuit boards and batteries. These materials are dangerous when placed in landfills because they can leach into water supplies.

For environmental sustainability, it’s important that desktop phones are recycled when they reach end of life. Recycle IT can collect phones from business organisations for safe recycling, possibly in combination with other computer or IT waste. All the old telephone waste will be sent for authorised electrical waste recycling, and none will go to landfill.

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

Electrical Recycling Updates!

On By JMCEIn Climate change, Electronic and Electrical Recycling, Electronic Equipment, We Recycle ITLeave a comment

Technology is now part of our everyday live. From home to offices, buses to boats, school and colleges, computers tablets, PCs severs, and related software are an indispensable part of our modern life. Add personal items like smart watches, mobile phones, virtual assistants, and robot vacuums and mowers and we are all are touched by helpful or essential tech.

The downside is the lifespan with some items breaking sooner than they should or people always wanting the latest and greatest meaning items become waste or e-waste which is a major concern for the planet we live on!

What is e-waste?

According to the European Union (EU), electronic and electrical waste, or e-waste, covers a variety of different products that are thrown away after use.

These include:

  • Large household appliances, such as washing machines and electric stoves
  • IT and telecommunications equipment (laptops, printers)
  • Consumer equipment (video cameras, fluorescent lamps) and photovoltaic panels
  • Small household appliances (vacuum cleaners, toasters)
  • Other categories, such as electrical tools and medical devices

The EU also say e-waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the Europe and less than 40% is recycled. You can view the facts and figures in the infographic below.

You can use the infographic to find out how many kilos of electronic equipment have been collected per inhabitant in Ireland and other EU countries.

Recycling practices vary among EU countries. In 2021, Austria topped the EU countries in electronic waste collection, with an average of 15.46 kilos per inhabitant. In 2021, 11 kilos of electrical and electronic equipment waste were collected per inhabitant in the EU on average.

Why recycle electronic and electrical waste?

Cast off 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.

The EU say, 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.

USB Type-C

Changes for Us

The European Commission presented a new circular economy action plan in 2020 that has as one of its priorities the reduction of electronic and electrical waste. The proposal specifically outlined 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.

  • USB Type-C will become the common charger for most electronic devices in the EU by the end of 2024. Laptops will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port by 28 April 2026.
  • The Commission presented a new proposal to promote repairing and reusing goods. Within the legal guarantee It would require sellers to repair products unless it is cheaper to replace them. Beyond the guarantee, it would provide rights to make repairs easier and cheaper.
  • The EU has adopted rules on the collection, treatment and recycling of electrical and electronic equipment to tackle the issue of the growing amount of electronic waste.
  • The Commission put forward a proposal for an update of the directive on waste electrical and electronic equipment to implement a ruling of the European Court of Justice concerning the scope of obligations of producers of photovoltaic panels (solar panels).

The EU council has now adopted these amendments into the EU law on waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Read more here.

Further updates will follow over the coming months. To reads more now please click here.

Repair and Reuse

Irish Statistics

The Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released 2022 statistics data related to the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) statistics for the whole of Ireland which documents household dual use B2C and commercial, professional B2B WEEE takeback.

The following key trends can be highlighted:

  1. 66,018 tonnes of WEEE were collected for treatment in Ireland in 2022, a decrease of 8% from the quantity collected in 2021.
  2. 61,806 tonnes of WEEE were recovered and 54,245 tonnes were prepared for reuse or recycling in 2022, a decrease of 8% and 9% respectively from the quantities in 2021.
  3. Large equipment (e.g. Cookers, washing machines) accounted for 53.2% (by weight) and small equipment (e.g. Kettles, toasters) represented the next largest category accounting for 19.9% of WEEE collected.
  4. Ireland met the EU recovery, recycling and reuse targets for all six categories of WEEE in 2022, they are temperature exchange equipment, screens, monitors, and equipment containing screens, lamp, large appliances, small appliances, and small IT.

The Irish national statistics show Ireland is in line with many European Member States but WEEE recycling volumes are not achieving 65% collection target.

Ireland 2023

WEEE Ireland Collection Results 2023

Recent figures in WEEE Irelands annual environmental report reveal consumers recycled a record-breaking 41,730 tonnes of electronic and electrical waste in 2023 – the equivalent of almost 200 forty-foot containers more than the previous year. Great News!

You all help by recycling over 15 million small appliances such as coffee makers, calculators, kettles and keyboards, along with the equivalent of 66 million used AA batteries were also handed back to make their way into the circular economy.

To view the full WEEE Ireland Annual Environmental Report for 2023 please click here.

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 collection regulations. Our permit details are available here.

Recycle IT – Community Recycling Initiative of the Year 2023

35 Easy Tips to Reduce and Save!

On By JMCEIn Climate change, Collections, Dublin, Electronic and Electrical Recycling, Electronic Equipment, Family, Social Enterprise, We Recycle ITLeave a comment

Going Greener – Making it Easy!

Recycling is an easy way to protect our environment and climate while ensuring the wellbeing of our community for the next generation. However, the success of recycling depends on the active participation of every member of the community including kids of all ages.

By everyone doing a little, we all can reduce the amount of waste that is deposited in the landfill or incinerated. Thinking about the reuse of items made from recycled materials helps maintain the recycling circle and its part in the circular economy.

Photo by Burak The Weekender on Pexels.com

We have listed 35 reuse and recycling tips – You might adapt some!

  • Use both sides of the page when writing or drawing.
  • Give your kids or local schools part used printed paper for drawing.
  • Bring your food to school or work using a reusable tub.
  • Rent or hire schoolbooks and supplies (reuse).
  • Hire gardening tools that you only use occasionally.
  • Make a bird feeder by reusing a medium size plastic bottle. 
  • Choose low-energy light bulbs at home and in the office.
  • Give your unwanted clothes a second life.
  • Reuse and repair as much as possible – shoes, clothes etc.
  • Offer seasonal kids costumes to clothes to others as your kids grow!  
  • Choose to buy bars of soap.
  • Choose long life or durable products e.g. reusable razors or ink pens.
  • Use rechargeable batteries in home appliances.
  • Avoid unnecessary purchasing of occasion products, e.g. Christmas, Easter
  • Offer gifts, such as tickets for a show, sports event or concert leading to reduce material content.
  • Choose eco-friendly products – read the labels.
  • Buys product with less or no packaging.
  • Buy regularly household products in bulk, e.g. canned and jarred products.
  • Reuse shopping bags.
  • Use refillable products e.g. pasta, rise, coffee, loss tea.
  • Drink taps water from reusable bottles.
  • Bring lunch to school, college, or work.
  • Prepared food at home for picnics while reusing flasks, tubs, knives, forks, and reusable carry bags.
  • Choose fresh food rather than processed food, healthier and less packaging.
  • Bake cakes and muffins instead of buying! 
  • Limited home and office printing, share files over email or file sharing tools e.g. Dropbox.
  • Recycle ink cartridges – where you purchased your ink! 
  • Bring a mug and glass to work to refill coffee, tea or water during the working day.
  • Approach office supply companies about purchasing used office equipment.
  • Cycle to work or college rather than taking the bus or car.
  • Car share where distances are longer and where public transport is not accessible.
  • Take your uneaten food home from restaurants in a doggy bag.
  • Composite garden cuttings and waste plant-based food to create a natural fertilizer.
  • Reuse school uniforms and junior football club kits – Kids grown fast!
  • Sort waste like plastics for reuse or safe recycling.
Photo by Krizjohn Rosales on Pexels.com

Reduce, Reuse, Repurposing and Recycling

In Ireland and across Europe, the focus on the 3 R’s has increased over recent years as recovery of resources through, reduce, reuse, repurposing and recycling has increased it has become increasingly important for consumers to take ownership and steps themselves to ensure products purchases can be reused, repurposed, or recycled using accessible and economically sustainable solutions.

Recycle IT – What we are doing?

Recycle IT offer electrical, electronic, and pure metal recycling services directly to people’s homes. We work with local area reps and residents associations to offer free residents recycling in estates in many areas of Dublin.

We encourage people to take advantage of this free drop off and cost-effective personal and business collections. We do offer and safely manage services to community groups, charity organisations, schools, and colleges so rest assured we have a service to match your needs.

Photo by Mike Bird on Pexels.com

By recycling your waste electrical and electronic equipment you help the environment and our organisation create training and employment opportunities that otherwise would not exist.

If you have questions or would like to arrange a personal collection from your home or business, please call 01 4578321 or email: info@recycleit.ie.  You can also visit our website to learn more about our work and our recent awards.

You can click here to read 15 recycling facts.

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.

Over the last 20 year Recycle IT have happily offered safe electrical and electronic recycling services to households and small and medium size organisations across a range of sectors. We offer our services all over Dublin and in surrounding areas

For more information about Recycle IT please click here.

Recycle IT Pakman Award Winner 2023

More Toys! Reuse or Recycle this Christmas🎅

On By JMCEIn Climate change, Electronic and Electrical Recycling, News, We Recycle ITLeave a comment

Imagination and Creativity

Toys are a traditional gift for children at Christmas and bring a good deal of joy over the following months. Toys also play an important role in childhood, sparking imagination, and fostering creativity. However, as our kids grow, toys often accumulate, gathering dust in forgotten corners or succumbing to wear and tear. But what if I told you that recycling these old, damaged, or unused electronic toys could make a significant impact on our environment?

Fun Family Game

The toy industry in Ireland, like in many other countries, has seen an increasing trend in the popularity of electronic and battery-operated toys. With advancements in technology and the growing interest in interactive and tech-based toys, the sales of electronic toys have been on the rise.

The graphic below demonstrates that in 2019, the annual amount spent on toys per child in the EU was estimated to be $212. The total EU toy market size was estimated to be $24.6 billion. From 2022 to 2025, this value is expected to have a compound annual growth of 15.59%, projecting a volume of $96,537M by 2025. Source: EuroDev BV.

Disposal

With the rise in electronic and battery-operated toys, the issue of electronic waste has become more pressing. Electronics contain various materials that can harm the environment if disposed of improperly. When these toys end up in landfills, they contribute to electronic waste, also known as e-waste. This waste contains hazardous substances such as lead, mercury, and cadmium, posing significant risks to both human health and the environment if not handled correctly.

Tablet

Recycling old, damaged, or unused electronic toys presents a solution to this growing problem. By recycling these toys, we divert electronic waste from landfills, preventing harmful substances from leaching into the soil and water sources. Moreover, recycling helps conserve resources by recovering valuable materials like metals, plastics, and other components that can be reused in manufacturing new products.

Now, let’s consider the adverse effects of tossing toys into the regular black or green rubbish bins. When these toys end up in landfills, they contribute to the growing electronic waste problem. Electronics typically take a long time to decompose, and as they break down, they release harmful chemicals into the environment. These chemicals can contaminate soil, waterways, and even the air we breathe, impacting ecosystems and potentially harming wildlife.

Furthermore, the valuable resources used in manufacturing these toys go to waste when they are discarded. This not only adds to the depletion of natural resources but also increases the energy and raw materials needed for producing new toys from scratch.

Children’s Computers

Eco-friendly

Toy recycling isn’t just an eco-friendly choice; it’s also an opportunity to teach children about sustainability and responsible waste management. Encouraging them to participate in recycling their old toys instills valuable lessons about reducing waste and preserving the planet for future generations.

Here are some fascinating facts about toy recycling:

  1. Resource Conservation: Recycling one ton of electronic devices can recover as much gold as mining almost 20 tons of gold ore.
  2. Material Recovery: Toys contain various materials such as plastics, metals, and electronic components, all of which can be repurposed through recycling. For instance, plastic toys can be shredded and melted down to create new products, reducing the need for raw materials.
  3. Environmental Impact: Improper disposal of electronic toys can lead to toxic substances seeping into the soil and water, posing severe health risks to communities living nearby.

Please consider, recycling old, damaged, or unused electrical, electronic, and battery-operated toys as its holds immense benefits for our planet. It minimizes e-waste, conserves valuable resources, and helps in creating a cleaner, healthier environment for all. By embracing toy recycling as a habit, we can pave the way for a more sustainable future and teach our children the importance of caring for the Earth while they play and grow.

Games Controllers

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

Electronic Toys