Most of us, at one time or another, have looked at forgotten corners of our homes or sheds and promised a clear out of the things we rarely, if ever, use.
But the items we often inadvertently hoard represent much more than ‘clutter’ commanding valuable space in our living rooms, bedrooms and kitchens.
In terms of old and broken electrical items, many householders are unwittingly locking away a treasure trove of raw materials used in their manufacture, preventing them from entering the circular economy.
A clapped out kettle, end-of-life microwave or burnt-out hairdryer may not amount to a substantial benefit to the recycling world.
But research shows that Irish homes contain an average of 15kg-20kg of electrical items which are lying idle.
Now WEEE (Waste, Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Ireland is urging everyone to blitz that long-promised clear-out, following the leads of unused electrical items so their vital components can be used again.
Domestic e-waste recycling free of charge
The ask is simple: find the forgotten about/hoarded e-waste (waste electrical, battery and lighting) in and around your home/shed and bring them for free recycling at local authority recycling centres and participating electrical retailers.
In a win-win for our homes and the greater environment, it is now more important than ever to rescue e-waste – after consumption soared the pandemic, fuelled by lockdowns and travel restrictions.
Shopping statistics during Covid-19 showed a surge in spend on new electrical devices such as mobile phones, computers, small kitchen appliances and white goods.
And as the value of new e-goods placed on the market rises, so too do our recycling targets.
As the country’s largest e-waste recycling scheme, WEEE Ireland is effectively urging everyone to become e-detectives and identify devices that are beyond repair.
Its ‘Follow Your Lead’ campaign aims to increase the supply of waste electrical recycling to local authority sites and retailer collection points to meet those rising targets.
The benefits of de-cluttering our homes of e-waste are stark: 84% of all material collected by WEEE Ireland is recovered for use again in manufacturing through both indigenous operators and specialist processors in Europe.
In 2020 alone, the equivalent of 225,182 tonnes of CO2 emissions were avoided by recycling e-waste through the WEEE Ireland Scheme as opposed to disposal in landfill.
That is equal to the annual carbon consumption of 4,504 hectares of trees. When e-waste is not recycled, its a waste of the significant amount of energy and resources used to manufacture our appliances in the first place.
Smartphones traditionally feature high on the hitlist — EU data shows they are the most unused and hoarded electrical items lying around Irish homes.
The same research indicates that each person is responsible for an average of 5kg of hoarded electrical waste – meaning 15-20kg of old and broken appliances are waiting to be recycled from most households.
“When you add it up, 5kg equates to a kettle, a laptop that won’t power up, a smartphone beyond repair, an unplayable small gaming device and that kitchen blender in the back of the cupboard that hasn’t worked for years,” said WEEE Ireland CEO, Leo Donovan.
“We are asking every family across Ireland to find these items and free up the valuable resources for use again in manufacturing, saving on the environmental impacts of raw material extraction.
“Being more resource-efficient with e-waste though recycling is a simple yet sustainable way to support a more circular economy in Ireland.
“We are asking people to follow the leads and plugs to these defunct devices sitting in cupboards, attics, sheds, under beds and stairs, because the components and resources contained within this equipment could be put to better use.
“By turning this into a family activity, everyone can have some fun while taking positive environmental action.” As a nation, the scale of electrical use is on an upward spiral – we are consuming more electrical goods than ever before.
Data from 2021 shows almost 60 million household electrical appliances, tech devices and lighting equipment were placed on the Irish market, with annual consumption rising from 15kg a head in 2016 to 22kg a head in 2021.
“As we consume and buy more electrical appliances and devices, the recycling targets we must meet also increases to meet annual EU WEEE Directive targets, as it equates to the percentage of goods sold,” added Mr Donovan.
“For all of 2022, we need to collect 65% by weight of what goes on the market.
“If more people recycle their hoarded devices and appliances through the authorised WEEE systems we will be in a much better position to meet those targets and recover this distinct mine of materials rather than sending it to waste in landfill.”
Helping planet, recovering valuable materials
WEEE and waste batteries contain a large variety of materials, ranging from base and precious metals to plastics, as well as critical raw materials (CRMs) that can power new technologies.
WEEE Ireland works with indigenous recycling facilities certified to high-quality standards to recover secondary resources from e-waste taken back by the public through a network of free collection points across the country.
As well as these recycling centres, in many parts of Ireland throughout the year, WEEE Ireland organises Local Authority supported free collection days, encouraging the public to part with their unused e-waste.
In both instances, any household appliances with a plug, battery or cable are accepted free of charge, including old washing machines, TVs, toasters and kettles, electronic tools and toys, cables, IT equipment, mobile phones, remote controls, and even watches.
“Many end-of-life products contain metals and minerals in higher concentrations than primary resources,” says Mr Donovan.
WEEE Ireland accounts for over two-thirds of all national waste electrical and electronics collection activity on behalf of 1,300 producer members.
URL: How we can rescue e-waste from our homes and landfill (irishexaminer.com)
