For over twenty years, the Sustainable Business Impact Awards have celebrated and showcased the best examples of sustainable business practices in Ireland.

These awards recognize organisations that are making a real difference through their commitment to people, communities, and the planet. Each year, winners across twelve categories demonstrate how Irish businesses are embedding sustainability into their everyday work, showing that positive environmental and social change can go hand in hand with good business.

In 2025, Recycle IT (Ireland) was honored to win the Sustainable Impact by a Medium Business Award. This recognition highlights the organisation’s ongoing efforts to promote recycling, protect the environment, and support communities across Dublin and in surrounding areas.

Recycle IT is a community-based social enterprise that collects, recycles, and reuses waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The organisation works to prevent useful materials from ending up in landfill, helping to reduce pollution and save valuable resources. Equally important, Recycle IT creates local employment, provides work experience and training opportunities, and raises awareness about the benefits of recycling and sustainable living.

Winning the Sustainable Impact Award means a great deal to everyone involved with Recycle IT. It reflects the hard work and dedication of the entire team, who are passionate about making recycling accessible and practical for households, schools, businesses, and community organisations. Every television, computer, kettle, or phone collected by Recycle IT contributes to a cleaner environment and a more circular economy, where waste is seen as a resource that can be recovered and reused.

The photo above captures a proud moment for the Recycle IT team. From left to right are Ian Talbot from Chambers Ireland, Mark, Una, and Gerard from Recycle IT, and Margaret Considine from Chambers Ireland. Their smiles reflect not only the joy of winning but also the shared commitment to sustainability that connects all those involved in the awards.

Recycle IT would like to extend sincere thanks to Chambers Ireland, the judges, and everyone who entered the awards this year. The Sustainable Business Impact Awards are about more than just recognition—they are about celebrating collective progress and inspiring others to take action. Each business, no matter how big or small, can make a difference by reducing waste, conserving energy, supporting their employees, and engaging with their community.

For Recycle IT, sustainability is not a short-term goal but an ongoing journey. The organisation continues to expand its services, invest in greener processes, and build partnerships with local authorities, schools, and voluntary groups. By working together, they aim to create a culture of recycling and reuse that benefits both people and the planet.

The Sustainable Impact Award is a reminder that environmental and community action are most effective when driven from the ground up. Through small, consistent efforts—like recycling electronic waste, educating others, and supporting local jobs—Recycle IT is helping to build a cleaner, fairer, and more sustainable future for everyone.

Winning this award is both a recognition of what has been achieved and a motivation to keep improving. The Recycle IT team remains committed to innovation, collaboration, and social responsibility. They believe that every community can become more sustainable through shared action and awareness.

Recycle IT is grateful to all partners, supporters, and customers who have made their success possible. Together, they have shown that social enterprises can lead the way in creating positive, lasting change.

Thank you to Chambers Ireland for organising such a meaningful event. It was a wonderful evening, a fantastic celebration of Irish business, and a proud moment for Recycle IT and all those who care about sustainability and community impact.

Great event, great award, and a great step forward for recycling in the community!

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

Pull-up banners are used by many organisations across Dublin. They are helpful tools for events, promotions, and public information. However, once these banners are out of date, they are often stored and forgotten. Many are kept in cupboards or storerooms for years. Over time, they take up space and collect dust. But what if we started to recycle them instead? Recycling pull-up banners has many benefits for organisations and the environment.

1. Reducing Waste

The first big benefit of recycling pull-up banners is reducing waste. Most of these banners are made from plastic and metal. If they are thrown away, they often end up in landfills where they do not break down easily. Recycling helps to reduce this waste and keeps these materials out of our environment. It’s a simple step that makes a big difference over time.

2. Saving Space

Old banners take up storage space in offices, community buildings, and schools. By recycling them, organisations can free up this space for other, more useful things. This helps to create cleaner, more organised workplaces. It also reminds people to keep only what they truly need.

3. Reusing Materials

Pull-up banners contain materials that can be reused. The metal frame and poles can often be used again once a new banner insert is fitted.  Triest Press, Ireland’s leading social enterprise print & design house is helping with this. They are passionate about producing high-quality digital print and design while making a positive social impact.

The banner material itself is usually made of PVC, vinyl, or polyester, and can sometimes be turned into bags, covers, or other useful products. We would be happy to work with an organisation wishing to source these material for reuse. Reuse gives these materials a new life instead of letting them go to waste.

4. Encouraging Environmental Responsibility

When an organisation recycles its old banners, it shows that it cares about the environment. This sets a good example for staff, customers, and the wider community. It encourages others to think more carefully about how they dispose of old items. Every small action adds up, and recycling banners is a great way to lead by example.

5. Supporting the Circular Economy

Recycling helps build a circular economy. This means that instead of throwing things away, we find ways to keep materials in use for as long as possible. Recycling banners supports this idea. It creates demand for recycling services and products made from recycled materials. It also helps to reduce the need for new raw materials, which uses a lot of energy and natural resources.

6. Cost Savings

While there may be a small cost to recycle banners, it can save money in the long run. Storing large numbers of unused banners takes up space that could be used more effectively. Also, buying new banners for every event is expensive. Some companies now offer banner systems where only the printed part is replaced, which can be more cost-effective and greener.

7. Creating Awareness

A recycling project for old banners can raise awareness among staff and the public. It gets people thinking about how they use and reuse materials. It might even inspire new recycling or sustainability projects in the future.

Finally

Collecting and recycling pull-up banners can be very cost-effective and helps create and maintain worthwhile training and employment opportunities in our community.

You can visit your local drop-off point at Recycle IT in Dublin 22 or you avail of a city wide collection service. This low-cost recycling for reuse pilot project reduces waste while promoting sustainability for organisations.

In summary, recycling old pull-up banners has many benefits. It reduces waste, saves space, supports the environment, and shows leadership. With so many unused banners stored around Dublin, now is the perfect time for organisations to take action. A small step today can lead to big change tomorrow.

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. We are happy to offer cost effective and safe computer, laptop or tablet data destruction for home users and small offices on request.

For more information about Recycle IT please click here.

Sustainable Impact by a Medium Business – Recycle IT – Recycling in the Community

Free Household Mattress Recycling

Starting on August 11th, 2025, South Dublin residents will have a great opportunity to get rid of old, unwanted mattresses for free. This new Mattress Recycling Amnesty is supported by South Dublin County Council and operated by Recycle IT, a community-based recycling service.

This special initiative means that people living in South Dublin and sounding areas can drop off old mattresses without paying any fees. It will help households dispose of bulky waste in a safe and environmentally friendly way during a number of weeks across August and September 2025.

What is a Mattress Amnesty?

A mattress amnesty is a time-limited program that allows people to bring old mattresses to a drop-off point for free recycling. Normally, getting rid of a mattress can cost money or involve arranging special collections. But during this amnesty, you can bring your mattress to a collection point without any charge.

Why Recycle Mattresses?

Mattresses are large, heavy, and difficult to dispose of. Many old mattresses end up in landfills or are illegally dumped. This is bad for the environment and costs councils time and money to clean up. Recycling mattresses is a much better solution.

Mattresses are made from many materials that can be reused. For example:

• Steel springs can be melted and reused for metal products.
• Foam and fabric can be recycled into insulation or carpet padding.
• Wooden frames can be reused for other furniture or broken down for wood chips.

By recycling mattresses, we reduce waste, save resources, and protect the environment. It also helps keep our local area clean and green.

The Benefits of Taking Part

Here are some great reasons to take part in the South Dublin Mattress Amnesty:

1. It’s Free – You don’t have to pay to recycle your mattress during this event.
2. It’s Weekly – Open Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 3pm during the amnesty.
3. It’s Convenient – Multiple drop-off locations will be available throughout South Dublin.
4. It’s Eco-Friendly – Recycling keeps bulky waste out of landfills and gives materials a second life.
5. It Reduces Illegal Dumping – Offering free disposal means fewer mattresses dumped on roadsides or in parks.
6. It Helps the Community – Cleaner neighbourhoods and better waste management help everyone.

Who Can Take Part?

The amnesty is open to residents of South Dublin County and surrounding areas. Households are encouraged to bring clean and dry mattresses to our drop-off site. We generally, standard single, double, king, queen and foam mattresses. If in doubt you can call 01 4578321 with any questions.

Businesses, hotels, or other commercial groups may not be included in this offer, so they should check with Recycle IT directly if they have mattresses to dispose of.

How Recycle IT Helps

Recycle IT is a social enterprise that focuses on recycling electrical and bulky household items. With help from South Dublin County Council, they are managing this amnesty to make sure all collected mattresses are safely broken down and reused.

Recycle IT has experience running similar programs and is committed to helping people recycle in a simple and responsible way.

When and where?

The free mattress drop-off started in mid-August 2025 and ran until Sept 27th 2025. Mattress recycling was be available at Recycle IT, Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 3pm.

This initiative has now CLOSED – You will get further detials here.

There were seven community drop-off events happening across South Dublin. The exact locations and times are listed directly below. The seven events listed will operate between 10am and 1pm over 7 Wednesday starting on August 13th 2025 in Tymon Park, D12.

This initiative has now CLOSED – You will get further detials here.

During this period if you wish to have a cost-effective personal mattress collection from your home in Dublin we can help. Email mail us here

Finally

This free mattress recycling amnesty is a great chance for households to clear out unwanted items without harming the environment. By taking part, you are helping your home, your community, and the planet.

Start preparing now! If you have an old mattress in your shed, spare room, or garden, plan to drop it off for recycling in August. Stay tuned for updates from South Dublin County Council and Recycle IT so you don’t miss out.

Let’s work together to reduce waste and make South Dublin a cleaner, greener place to live!

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

Recycle IT Receives EcoMerit Certification

Recycle IT is proud to share some exciting news – we have received the EcoMerit Certification! This is an important step forward in showing our commitment to the environment and to making the communities we serve better places for everyone.

But what is EcoMerit, and why does it matter? Let us clarify in a simple and easy-to-understand way.

EcoMerit Certification Explained?

EcoMerit is a trusted environmental certification. It is given to organisations that work hard to reduce their impact on the environment. This means using less energy, cutting down on waste, and making better choices that help protect our planet.

Getting EcoMerit certified means that Recycle IT is meeting high environmental standards. It also shows that we have made a long-term plan to keep improving how we work to be greener and cleaner.

What Did Recycle IT Do to Earn It?

To receive the EcoMerit certification, Recycle IT looked closely at everything we do – from how we use energy to how we manage waste and water.

Here are some of the steps we’ve taken:

• Reduced Energy Use: We worked to lower the amount of electricity we use every day. This helps reduce pollution and saves money too!
• Reused and Recycled More: As a community recycling organisation, we already recycle a lot. But we found ways to improve even more, especially when it comes to safely handling electronics and household appliances.
• Improved Waste Management: We made sure waste is sorted properly so that as much as possible can be recycled or reused instead of going to landfill.
• Set Clear Goals: We created an environmental plan that sets targets for reducing waste and saving energy over the coming years.
• Trained Our Team: Everyone at Recycle IT learned about ways to help the environment at work. Teamwork made a big difference.

Why Is This Good News?

Getting the EcoMerit Certification is good news for many reasons:

• It’s Good for the Planet: Everything we do to reduce waste, save energy, and recycle more helps the environment.
• It Builds Trust: The certificate shows that Recycle IT is serious about protecting nature. People and organisations who work with us know they are supporting a green company.
• It Inspires Others: We hope our work encourages other organisations and people to take simple steps that protect the Earth.
• It Supports Our Community: By recycling safely and helping people recycle old items, we keep harmful waste out of landfills and create local jobs.
• It Supports Our Team: It is good for the staff team because it creates ongoing awareness, a cleaner, safer workplace and it shows we all care about the environment. It empowers our team to make a positive impact both at work and in their personal lives

What’s Next?

The EcoMerit certificate is not the end of our journey – it’s just the beginning! We will continue to look for new ways to protect the environment. We’ll keep working with our community, staff, and partners to do better every day.

The EcoMerit Certification shows that Recycle IT is doing things the right way – by putting people and the planet first. Together, we can continue to build a cleaner, healthier future for everyone.

Let’s keep recycling, reusing, and reducing waste – and let’s keep making a difference, one small step at a time!

Final Words

We want to say a big thank you to everyone who helps make Recycle IT more environmentally friendly. Your support made this recognition possible.

A special thanks goes to the Irish Social Enterprise Network, the other participants across Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, and the EU GreenBoost4WISEs program. This program, launched in 2024, and gave social enterprises like ours a great chance to learn and grow.

It helped us take real steps to become more sustainable—making sure our work, especially in areas like energy, waste and resource use, can keep going without harming nature or the needs of future generations.

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