MoreThanWaste.com - Irish recycling rate for WEEE continues to grow (08/10/2007)

"I am very pleased with these figures, the amount of WEEE material that has been recycled by Irish householders is a national success story"

John Gormley, Irish Minister for the Environment

The successful WEEE programme in Ireland has lead to continued growth in the recycling rate, but producers need to do more on recovering smaller items and reuse, according to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

In fact Ireland is close to doubling the the WEEE recycling target set for 2008, though there is room for improvement due to the insufficiency in small WEEE is being recycled.

The Department says that there have been, for example:

• 380,000 fridges and freezers recycled since implementation of WEEE Directive
• 570,000 large household appliances recycled
• 240,000 televisions diverted from landfill
• 6.7m WEEE items collected to date
• 31,500 tonnes / 3.5 million units of household WEEE recycled in 2006

During 2006, on average each person In the Republic recycled 7.4 kg of household WEEE which is almost double the 4kg target set under the WEEE Directive, before the end of 2008.

Minister for the Environment, Mr John Gormley, recently announced further progress in WEEE recycling performance since the recycling scheme came into effect on 13 August 2005. While this progress is welcome there is, however, further room for improvement, he added.

Minister Gormley said:

“I am very pleased with these figures, the amount of WEEE material that has been recycled by Irish householders is a national success story.”

“The emphasis in August 2005 was in establishing a viable and sustainable WEEE take back system and this has now been done”, he said, adding that “this is demonstrated in the collection of 7.4 kgs of household WEEE for recycling in 2006, almost double the 4 kgs target the WEEE Directive requires Ireland to achieve by the end of 2008”.

82% of WEEE collected in 2006 by weight, however, consisted of almost 134,000 fridges and freezers, almost 418,000 large household appliances and almost 139,000 televisions, according to the Department. Minister Gormley said that it was clear that not enough small items of WEEE were being recycled.

Producer responsibility

Minister Gormley continued:

“Raising public awareness is a producer responsibility. Unless there is proper engagement by producers with the public it will not be possible to achieve the desired recovery rates”.

“The challenge now is for producers to invest in an awareness programme to educate the public that electrical items should not be deposited in the household bin, but brought to a retailer or a local authority civic amenity facility for recycling. The public needs to be reminded that not only is all WEEE recyclable, but producers are required to recycling all WEEE deposited at collection points.”

Small WEEE includes such items as DVD players, electronic games and watches, electric toothbrushes.

The WEEE Directive requires that priority be given to the re-use of old electrical and electronic equipment. In Ireland there is vibrant social economy activity in refurbishing old electrical and electronic goods, and there is evidence that perfectly working equipment is being recycled instead of being diverted for re-use, according to the Minister. The Department is working with stakeholders, including the social economy sector in developing a protocol to promote and facilitate higher levels of reuse.

The WEEE Register Society Ltd for Ireland has previously announced that there has been a further reduction in environmental management cost from 1st October 2007. These reductions arise from lower recycling costs following improved economies of scale and indigenous investment in WEEE recycling facilities. The indigenous investment in WEEE recycling facilities is a direct consequence of the stable regulatory environment following implementation of the WEEE Directive, according to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.


	Irish recycling rate for WEEE continues to grow (08/10/2007) "I am very pleased with these figures, the amount of WEEE material that has been recycled by Irish householders is a national success story" John Gormley, Irish Minister for the Environment The successful WEEE programme in Ireland has lead to continued growth in the recycling rate, but producers need to do more on recovering smaller items and reuse, according to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. In fact Ireland is close to doubling the the WEEE recycling target set for 2008, though there is room for improvement due to the insufficiency in small WEEE is being recycled. The Department says that there have been, for example: • 380,000 fridges and freezers recycled since implementation of WEEE Directive • 570,000 large household appliances recycled • 240,000 televisions diverted from landfill • 6.7m WEEE items collected to date • 31,500 tonnes / 3.5 million units of household WEEE recycled in 2006 During 2006, on average each person In the Republic recycled 7.4 kg of household WEEE which is almost double the 4kg target set under the WEEE Directive, before the end of 2008. Minister for the Environment, Mr John Gormley, recently announced further progress in WEEE recycling performance since the recycling scheme came into effect on 13 August 2005. While this progress is welcome there is, however, further room for improvement, he added. Minister Gormley said: “I am very pleased with these figures, the amount of WEEE material that has been recycled by Irish householders is a national success story.” “The emphasis in August 2005 was in establishing a viable and sustainable WEEE take back system and this has now been done”, he said, adding that “this is demonstrated in the collection of 7.4 kgs of household WEEE for recycling in 2006, almost double the 4 kgs target the WEEE Directive requires Ireland to achieve by the end of 2008”. 82% of WEEE collected in 2006 by weight, however, consisted of almost 134,000 fridges and freezers, almost 418,000 large household appliances and almost 139,000 televisions, according to the Department. Minister Gormley said that it was clear that not enough small items of WEEE were being recycled. Producer responsibility Minister Gormley continued: “Raising public awareness is a producer responsibility. Unless there is proper engagement by producers with the public it will not be possible to achieve the desired recovery rates”. “The challenge now is for producers to invest in an awareness programme to educate the public that electrical items should not be deposited in the household bin, but brought to a retailer or a local authority civic amenity facility for recycling. The public needs to be reminded that not only is all WEEE recyclable, but producers are required to recycling all WEEE deposited at collection points.” Small WEEE includes such items as DVD players, electronic games and watches, electric toothbrushes. The WEEE Directive requires that priority be given to the re-use of old electrical and electronic equipment. In Ireland there is vibrant social economy activity in refurbishing old electrical and electronic goods, and there is evidence that perfectly working equipment is being recycled instead of being diverted for re-use, according to the Minister. The Department is working with stakeholders, including the social economy sector in developing a protocol to promote and facilitate higher levels of reuse. The WEEE Register Society Ltd for Ireland has previously announced that there has been a further reduction in environmental management cost from 1st October 2007. These reductions arise from lower recycling costs following improved economies of scale and indigenous investment in WEEE recycling facilities. The indigenous investment in WEEE recycling facilities is a direct consequence of the stable regulatory environment following implementation of the WEEE Directive, according to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.