Ireland breaks e-scrap recycling record

Irish consumers recycled 41 730 tonnes of electronic and electrical waste (WEEE) in 2023, beating the previous best of a year earlier by nearly 1 000 tonnes.

The increase, the equivalent of 200 40-foot containers, are contained in WEEE Ireland’s annual report which shows approximately 18.1 million appliances were collected for recycling. Despite the record takeback, WEEE Ireland’s CEO Leo Donovan is warning that more items have to be recycled as consumption of new appliances increases.

‘Most householders have a hidden treasure trove of broken, unused or unwanted electrical equipment in their homes,’ says Donovan. ‘They alone hold the key to recycling them, giving them a new lease of life so we can recover the critical raw materials they contain.’

Vapes takeback

The 2023 e-waste haul includes two million lighting items, 250 000 TVs and over 500 000 large household appliances including fridge freezers. Three-quarters of a million vapes were also collected after the launch of the country’s first dedicated takeback programme for waste e-cigarettes and vapes. 

‘Over the last two decades, WEEE Ireland has developed a highly efficient, free national takeback system, enabling our country to outperform EU recovery targets,’ Donovan adds. ‘Our investment in first-class, indigenous recycling facilities ensures we fully maximise the quality and value of the resources – with over 80% of materials recovered for reuse.’

CRMs

The ceo says the goal is to ensure Ireland has the materials for current and future product manufacturing. The EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act came into effect in Ireland in May and by 2030 25% of critical and strategic materials such as lithium, copper and cobalt must be sourced from recycling systems within Europe.

‘With finite resources, it is also vital that we support Ireland’s new National Waste Development Plan transitioning from the traditional ‘take-make-use-dispose’ model to one where electrical and electronic devices are being reused or repaired as much as possible to minimise waste generation.’

The annual report also shows that 54% of e-waste was collected from retailer sites, 26% from local authority sites and 20% from WEEE Ireland’s network of collection points.