Schools, colleges, and training organisations located in Dublin and surrounding areas now have the opportunity to recycle old and once-valued electrical, electronic and pure metal equipment. If you need to declutter and create space recycling safely can really help.
The service is offered free and is dedicated to reducing large amounts of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) which accumulates in classrooms, canteens, stores, and labs over time.
Recycle IT, is a community-based social enterprise, offering a simple and efficient route to recycle unused electrical and electronic items. After collection, items are broken down and recovered materials are processed for use in the manufacture of a new product. Your recycling helps sustain our organization and create employment and training opportunities.
The free collection service helps safely divert e-waste from landfills and makes use of old items that may have been thrown away. The types of items usually collected include computers, kitchen equipment, phone systems, mobile phones, laptops, tablets, monitors, projectors, printers, battery-operated toys, televisions, and radios. Please click here for a full list
School Printers – Recycle IT
Schools, Community and Fundraising
Our learning sector collection service is organised as part of our free community collection service. Recycle IT also support WEEE Ireland with collections of batteries from schools around Dublin which in turn supports the work of LauraLynn Children’s Hospice.
During the last 18 months, our teams have worked with hundreds of schools, colleges, and youth training organisations all over Dublin to achieve an overall increase in electrical equipment collected for recycling with a similar trend in 2023.
We are delighted to be in a position to help your staff and students and organisation safely recycle all types of electrical, electronic and pure metal equipment so do email us. Recycling with us directly creates real training opportunities and maintains employment levels within our social enterprise.
School Electronics for Recycling
Register an interest
Schools, colleges, and trainers of all types in Dublin and the surrounding area are welcome to register an interest, simply complete a registration form byclicking hereor call our team on 01 4578321 Monday – Friday. Once you call or email we can help you plan and schedule your e-waste collection which will help:
Reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators.
Conserves natural resources such as water and minerals.
Increases economic well-being and creates local training and employment opportunities.
Prevents pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials.
Saves energy.
School Collections Supported by WEEE Ireland
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.
For more information about Recycle IT please click here.
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 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!
LED lights usually cost only a little more than traditional Christmas lights and glow brighter.
By changing to LED lights you will save on electricity during the festive season.
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.
Strings of LED light can be much longer than traditional lights
New LED lights generally stay cooler which is deemed safer.
LED lights now create the glow of incandescent light or traditional fairy lights so you can relive memories of years ago.
LED lights contain no toxic elements, therefore, they help to protect the environment and reduce toxic waste created by traditional Christmas lights.
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.
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 withWEEE 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.
Each year we as a nation we support events like Spring Clean Month, Recycling Week and Reuse Month. These events were established to promote the importance of recovery, reuse and recycling. They offer you, your kids, family, friends and colleagues an opportunity to learn and do more as communities about what to do about waste.
Recycling is a real driver for change. It brings people in communities together to support change and make a real difference. Recycling helps with environmental wellbeing, community volunteering and creates actual employment opportunities in cities, towns and villages across Ireland. So the more people try reusing or recycling the greater the benefits.
When items for recycling are collected with skill and care, some can be fixed for reuse and others disassembled becoming a resource that contributes to new product and jobs creation, business expansion, and the local economy.
Old Paint for Recycling – Recycle IT
In recent years Ireland has achieved its highest ever rate of recycling, surpassing all EU recycling targets, The country’s overall recycling rate of 68% for all materials is ahead of the EU targets by 13% and it is now one of the leading performers in Europe. (Source: Repak).
The breakdown of recycling rates by materials are as follows:
Glass at 86% (EU target: 60%)
Metals at 79% (EU target: 50%)
Paper at 78% (EU target: 60%)
Wood at 95% (EU target: 15%)
Plastic at 33% (EU target: 22.5%).
Irish people know the importance of recycling and are doing great but we can always do more especially around recycling contamination. Sometimes with the best intentions, we are actually putting the wrong things in that green bin so just be mindful and follow Irelands recycling lists.
Electronic and Electrical Recycling
When you think of electronic or electrical waste equipment (WEEE) or e-waste, do you think of items like computers, radios, light bulbs, zip disks, and tapes drives, clock alarms or wall clocks, even cameras, it’s really any items with computerised parts.
Camera Reuse / Recycling – Recycle IT
These items and similar are adding to an ever-increasing e-waste mountain and the pile usually starts building in people’s homes. We know electrical or electronic items are not recycled as easily or as frequently as other recyclable materials such as paper, glass or plastics. Some of the items are very large and hard to recycle, others are small and have a personal or perceived value so people don’t want to let them go!
Let’s share some facts!
The original owner of a laptop will keep it only three years before it is replaced. Mobile phones are replaced every 24 months or less. (lots to recycle).
It is estimated in 2019 that 91% of all Irish households own a household computer with internet access. (Source: Statista Research Department).
In Ireland, 90% of the population, now have access to a smartphone Source: Ipsos MORI)
Three million people in Ireland in 2017 own a smartphone and check it around 57 times a day.
It was estimated that about 50 million tons of e-waste were generated worldwide in 2018. China leads the way, with 7.2 million tons per annum, while the USA generated approx. 6.3 million tons per annum.
Recycling electronic and electrical equipment allows materials to be reused, and re-using materials helps create new jobs.
Recycling just one million laptops has the same impact as powering 3657 homes for one year! ( Source: How to Save Your Planet One Object at a Time)
Electronic waste can contain more than 1,000 components, many of which are toxic, including heavy metals like lead, mercury and cadmium.
Computers and televisions tend to have the most gold in them, but camcorders, media players, game consoles, and mobile phones also contain gold.
According to the US EPA, one computer contains 3.6KG of lead which is toxic.
Nokia report that globally, 74% of consumers don’t think about recycling mobile phones, despite the fact that around the same number, 72%, think recycling makes a difference to the environment.
Large household appliances accounted for 48% by weight of all waste electrical items collected in Ireland during 2019. (Source: WEEE Ireland).
Computers, laptops and tablets are not designed to be recycled mechanically – they are difficult to take apart, many of the materials cannot be easily identified. It takes real manual effort to extract components. (Recycle IT 2020)
In 2018, Ireland collected 36,131 tonnes of e-waste and 856 tonnes of waste batteries for recycling (Source WEEE Ireland).
It is estimated that Irish people disposed of 3.2 million lamps and lightbulbs, 195,000 televisions and monitors and 13 million small appliances. (Source WEEE Ireland).
There are many ways that recycling helps our environment. Why not try to remember and introduce these 5 points.
A reduction in landfill and industrial waste by reuse or recycling.
Reduced energy usage by reuse or recycling.
Less pollution through reuse or recycling.
Increased employment by reuse or recycling.
Sustainable usage of natural resources by reuse and recycling.
When Irish people wish to make a point, they usually do it well. This needs to be the case with reduce, reuse and recycling
Reused Drum as Planter – Recycle IT
By recycling, your positive actions make you part of the solution rather than part of a global problem. As local communities we must plan and first take steps to reduce the amount of waste and including e-waste that is clogging up our lives .
Making sure that recyclable items such as computers don’t end up in the wrong bin, landfills or illegally dumped is an important step toward green living and environmental conservation for future generation.
About Recycle IT
Recycle IT is a not for profit social enterprise providing a community collection service for all types of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
Over the last 18 months Recycle IT offered collection services to 110,000 homes and businesses across Dublin and surrounding areas collecting a range of WEEE including over computers, monitors and TV’s.
Our services are provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland. We are authorized by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authority. Visit www.recycleit.ie to learn more or book your recycling collection on telephone 01 4578321.
From attending Church services to eating, drinking and exchanging gifts — Irish people celebrate Christmas Day in some surprising ways. From Christmas swims to Santa fun runs, people around the country love raising money for worthwhile causes over Christmas. Getting out in the cold winter air or jumping into icy water is a perfect way to start the day which ends in front of a cosy fire.
Christmas Swimmers By RTE
Yet, at this time, it’s important to remember our environment and keep it safe and clean so everyone can enjoy the natural beauty of crisp festive winter days. We want to encourage fun, sharing, celebration, rest and relaxation but with a message of reducing, reuse and recycling over this festive season.
We have assembled 28 festive tips which will help you to reduce the environmental impact of Christmas and save a little money at the same time!
Have a read of our 28 tips which will take you to Christmas Day
Cut up your old Christmas cards and use as present labels.
Bring reusable bags to help with the Christmas shopping.
Source non-disposable items such as rechargeable batteries
Buy brown wrapping paper, forget and don’t use plastic tape to seal!
Try using Christmas cards printed on recycled paper.
Reuse envelopes by sticking new labels over the address to send again.
Make your own cards with the kids
Send an electronic Christmas card to distance family instead of posting one.
Buy gifts with limited packagings like vouchers or tickets.
How about trying an artificial Christmas tree – they last for years.
When sourcing a real Christmas tree, make sure they can be shredded or composted after Christmas.
Choose a present of antique art, silver or jewellery, promote reuse
Buy second-hand items as presents e.g. bikes, electronic games, games table or a dolls house.
Source unwrapped fruit and vegetables to reduce plastic waste.
When preparing your seasonal vegetables, peelings can be composted (just scrape the plates)
Take unused or surplus food to food banks before, during and after Christmas. Click here for more information
Buy soft drinks in glass bottles rather than plastic & recycle the glass.
Recycle plastic and metal packaging including bottles and cans.
Stuff your shoes with old wrapping paper to help keep their shape or dry them out.
Don’t use paper plates, plastic cutlery or paper table clothes
Order your food online, save time and the environment
Buy a gift that will last.
Reuse last year’s Christmas Jumper & Santa Hat for the office party.
Bake a Christmas cake & make treats like jams, biscuits or chutney.
Separate old electrical items and batteries from general waste and recycle earlier in 2020.
Use video calls to connect with others rather than generating carbon miles.
Take a break from the car, use public transport to get around.
If you receive a gift that just isn’t to your taste, try to re-gift it to someone you know will enjoy it. Charities will also happily accept donations of unused items. Many people will receive great Christmas presents which will replace old or damaged electronic gadgets. You can recycle the old items at either your local recycling centre or at the shop where your electrical present was purchased.
Finally, adopting a Kris Kringle-style approach with family and friends will allow you to focus time and money on arranging an outstanding present for just one other person, instead of having to buy lots of small gifts which can create lots of waste!
Finally, take a look at the; my waste Ireland website and repak.ie website for further hints, tips and information.
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 and electronic equipment (WEEE). Over the last 12 months Recycle IT have provided drop off and collection services to hundreds of schools, residents associations, community groups, charities, and businesses in Dublin and surrounding areas collecting a range of electrical and metal equipment which includes thousands of computers, cables, monitors, microwaves televisions and more.
Recycle IT services are provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland. Recycle IT are supported by South Dublin County Council and authorized by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authorities across Leinster. Recycle IT is part-funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development under the community service programme and Dormant Accounts Fund both managed by Pobal.
Every day is a recycling day for our team. It’s our passion and the reason we share regular news, updates and information related to recycling.
In this post, we have particularly focused on recycling computer or IT equipment. As we all know there are tons of old PCs and laptops in homes and offices which are of no further use and could be recycled for reuse.
Computers are a fast expanding stream of waste in Europe and across the developed world.
Consumers regularly update computers creating a waste mountain that continues to build. Thousands of obsolete computers are discarded every.
In 2018 United Nations University show that only 20% of e-waste (computers are a big part of e-waste) is collected and recycled while the fate of the other 80% is unknown
Computers should never be discarded without engaging with an authorised recycler. They contain toxic substances which can harm health and wellbeing. Some electronics or e-waste finds its’ way to the developing world where it causes harm to local people including children.
PC Recycling – Recycle IT
Computing Statistics
According to Statista 2022 As of January 2021, there were 4.66 billion active internet users worldwide – 59.5 of the global population. Of this total, 92.6 per cent (4.32 billion) accessed the internet via mobile devices. In 2021 alone, approximately 340 million PCs were shipped around the world. That is a lot of PCs that can be reused and/or recycled.
Computer Recycling
Continuous updates in technology are hard to keep up with. Every 12 – 18 months’ new models of computers, laptops, tablets and even phones are introduced. This, in turn, makes older models obsolete, and since they cannot be thrown in the bin, reuse or recycling becomes an option.
Computer recycling hopefully means giving old computers to a licensed waste facility where they are tested for reuse or disassembled into component parts for reuse. If required these components can be further broken down and reused as raw material for a new purpose.
A record 53.6 million metric tonnes (Mt) of electronic waste was generated worldwide in 2019, up 21 per cent in just five years, according to the UN’s Global E-waste Monitor 2020.
Broken Down Computers Hard Drives – Recycle IT
9 Reasons to Recycle Your Old Computer
Recycling and Natural Resources
A lot of materials and parts can be recovered from old electronics. These materials can be reused as raw materials to make new products, thus reducing the need and cost to mine new materials. (e.g. metals like copper and iron) Did you know the metals recovered from a computer’s circuit board can be recycled to make new circuit boards for other electronics items like house alarms or monitors?
Recycling Computers and the Environment
Recycling is very eco-friendly, as it prevents hazardous waste like lead from entering our environment Many old computers contain harmful materials like lead and mercury, and if disposed of improperly, may harm humans, animals or the environment. Instead of dumping electronic equipment or storing items in the house or office why not recycle the items safely
Computer Recycling and Local Employment
Considering that more than 90% of computer products are recyclable, recycling can play a part in creating employment. Social Enterprises such as Recycle IT recovers electronic waste each day. The more equipment collected and recycled the greater the opportunities for future employment. Recycling is labour intensive and employment can be boosted by recycling locally so support social enterprises like Recycle IT to create jobs!
Computer Reuse Supports the Community
Reuse of old computers and electrical equipment can help support the development of community training opportunities. You can enable people to access a computer, learn about technology, build confidence and prepare for a bright future in their community by simply giving your older computer for reuse by community groups or community educational programmes.
Eco-Friendly Benefits
The amount of WEEE being discarded grows daily. Over time, the waste accumulates to take up valuable space in homes, offices warehouses and even outdoors. If toxins leak they can infiltrate soil and water systems which can cause soil and water pollution. Recycling can help reserve these consequences and protect the environment from pollution.
Economic Benefits
Some newer computer equipment can be traded. This type of reuse helps the environment and your pocket. Many retail shops are offering trade-in options where you take back old electronic equipment and trade in to reduce the cost of the new equipment. Trading in means economic benefits for you, the consumer and helps shops and manufacturers close the loop on recycling.
Mixed Electronics for Recycling – Recycle IT
Recycling Supports Reuse
Recycling helps in the recovery of materials used in the initial manufacturing process. Many parts of computer hardware are reusable, and recycling them prevents them from going to waste. When recycling is complete correctly, fewer resources and energy are needed to manufacture the same products again.
Recycling WEEE under Irish Legislation
To address increasing electrical and electronic waste streams the EU introduced the WEEE directive – 2002/96/EC. Ireland implemented this legislation on time and approved two compliance schemes; WEEE Ireland and ERP Ireland. The WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC from August 13th, 2005, places the obligation upon all producers and distributors of waste electronic and electrical equipment to comply. We can all help with compliance by recycling. You can try one of the many retail take-back schemes, your local bring centre or recycle with a community organisation.
Social Donation
Social responsibility sometimes includes being able to donate to worthy causes. What you might consider an old computer may be a valuable resource which can be passed to others including families and children who can’t afford to buy a new computer. Refurbishment of computers allows reuse by others including community groups or low-income families.
Computer Recycling
Recycle for Reuse
Instead of keeping dusty old computers at home or in the office please consider recycling them for component reuse. As you can see it is extremely beneficial to both the environment and community.
Remember computers and similar items can be dropped off at no cost or you can avail of a free community collection service while we are in your area. Recycle IT can also offer a cost-effective personal or business collection if you decide to declutter or create space.
Recycle IT is an award-winning not for profit social enterprise providing a collection and drop off service for all types of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Recycle IT offers, drop off and collection services to over 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 TVs.
Recycle IT services are provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland. Recycle IT are supported by Pobal, South Dublin County Council and authorized by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authorities across Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow.
Recycle IT – Repak Award Winner 2019 – WEEE Champion
Recycle IT 