Less than a third of electronics coming back for recycling - WEEE Ireland

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster):  Ahead of Black Friday, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Ireland is urging shoppers to embrace sustainable habits by swapping old small electronics for new responsibly.

WEEE Ireland noted that almost half of Ireland's small electronics are bought in November and December, but only one in three are coming back for recycling.

WEEE Ireland's figures reveal that over 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.

But WEEE said that if current trends continue, only 30% of these goods return to the circular economy through recycling when they can no longer be repaired or reused.

The recycling rate is even worse for toys such as gaming consoles and battery-operated action figures, falling to just 10%, leaving millions of devices lying in drawers or just thrown away.

Elizabeth O'Reilly, Head of Environmental Compliance at WEEE Ireland, said that electronics are a top category in online purchases, particularly during high-sales periods like Black Friday and Christmas when cost-conscious consumers hunt for deals.

"However, national recycling rates for small devices remain low, particularly for online purchases, despite the availability of free take back services for recycling from the likes of Amazon," she noted.

"With the holiday shopping season in full swing, it's more important than ever for consumers to know their options. Whether you shop in-store or online, every retailer is required under Irish legislation to accept obsolete devices for free recycling when selling a similar new one," she said.

Ms O'Reilly also said that WEEE Ireland is encouraging people to check their retailers' take back policies as each offers different ways to return items for recycling.

"Some online retailers offer collection services with their own delivery services and others offer options for free postal or courier return. Then, if you simply swap while you shop, you recycle your defunct device to ensure it doesn’t end up in landfill," she said.

"This small action can make a big impact, helping conserve finite resources while reducing environmental harm, as well as protecting human and animal health," she added.

WEEE Ireland offers hundreds of collection points across local authority civic amenity centres, allowing consumers to drop off old electronic devices for free.

Participating online and physical retailers are also part of its nationwide effort to combat e-waste.

Courtesy: www.rte.ie