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Battery and e-waste clear-out plea as only half return for safe recycling
Only half of household batteries sold on the Irish market are making their way back for recycling each year, new data shows.
As newly-bought Christmas gifts replace old devices, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Ireland is urging people to recycle used batteries and unwanted small electrical items, rather than storing or binning them.
Its figures show that almost half of all household battery purchases are made during the Christmas shopping period, yet recycling rates remain stubbornly low.
To support a nationwide New Year clear-out, the e-waste recycling scheme is delivering one million blue battery recycling boxes to homes this month to capture the valuable hoard of waste batteries.
They can be returned for free at participating retailers or local recycling centres.
"As space is made for new gifts, now is the ideal time to carry out a battery and e-waste clear-out," said Leo Donovan, CEO of WEEE Ireland.
"As well as providing a handy QR code that connects you to a map of hundreds of local drop off points, our blue battery boxes are a simple but powerful reminder that batteries should never go in household bins.
"Returning for recycling ensures the safe recovery?and reuse?of the materials they contain."
When it comes to small electronic items, 2024 figures from WEEE Ireland show a similar trend, with 40 per cent of Ireland's annual small electronic gift and toy purchases happening in the festive period.
But just 30 per cent of these are returned to the circular economy for recycling.
Recycling rates for electronic toys such as gaming consoles, e-scooters and battery-operated action figures are even lower, dropping to just 10 per cent, leaving millions of unused, broken or obsolete toys gathering dust in homes or discarded incorrectly in the household bin.
"Every home in Ireland can make a difference. Batteries don't belong in the bin – they belong in recycling. When we dispose of them incorrectly, we risk fires and environmental pollution," said Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, Alan Dillon.
"This January, WEEE Ireland is delivering one million battery boxes to households. Let's use them. Collect every old battery from toys, decorations, and devices, and return them to your local retailer or recycling centre.
"It's free, safe, and it protects our environment. Together, we can keep dangerous chemicals out of landfill and rare materials in circulation. Let's make 2026 about responsibility and care for each other."
WEEE Ireland's network of free collection points across local authority civic amenity centres and retailers is available at weeeireland.ie.
A new Light Means of Transport (LMT) lithium battery guide has also been added to the WEEE Ireland website to support consumers on the safe recycling of higher-capacity batteries such as those used in e-bikes, e-scooters, e-mobility and power packs.
See more stories here.
More about Irish Tech News
Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too.
You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news
If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at [email protected] now to discuss.
Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at [email protected] now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience.
You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.
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By Irish Tech News
2
11 ratings
Only half of household batteries sold on the Irish market are making their way back for recycling each year, new data shows.
As newly-bought Christmas gifts replace old devices, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Ireland is urging people to recycle used batteries and unwanted small electrical items, rather than storing or binning them.
Its figures show that almost half of all household battery purchases are made during the Christmas shopping period, yet recycling rates remain stubbornly low.
To support a nationwide New Year clear-out, the e-waste recycling scheme is delivering one million blue battery recycling boxes to homes this month to capture the valuable hoard of waste batteries.
They can be returned for free at participating retailers or local recycling centres.
"As space is made for new gifts, now is the ideal time to carry out a battery and e-waste clear-out," said Leo Donovan, CEO of WEEE Ireland.
"As well as providing a handy QR code that connects you to a map of hundreds of local drop off points, our blue battery boxes are a simple but powerful reminder that batteries should never go in household bins.
"Returning for recycling ensures the safe recovery?and reuse?of the materials they contain."
When it comes to small electronic items, 2024 figures from WEEE Ireland show a similar trend, with 40 per cent of Ireland's annual small electronic gift and toy purchases happening in the festive period.
But just 30 per cent of these are returned to the circular economy for recycling.
Recycling rates for electronic toys such as gaming consoles, e-scooters and battery-operated action figures are even lower, dropping to just 10 per cent, leaving millions of unused, broken or obsolete toys gathering dust in homes or discarded incorrectly in the household bin.
"Every home in Ireland can make a difference. Batteries don't belong in the bin – they belong in recycling. When we dispose of them incorrectly, we risk fires and environmental pollution," said Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, Alan Dillon.
"This January, WEEE Ireland is delivering one million battery boxes to households. Let's use them. Collect every old battery from toys, decorations, and devices, and return them to your local retailer or recycling centre.
"It's free, safe, and it protects our environment. Together, we can keep dangerous chemicals out of landfill and rare materials in circulation. Let's make 2026 about responsibility and care for each other."
WEEE Ireland's network of free collection points across local authority civic amenity centres and retailers is available at weeeireland.ie.
A new Light Means of Transport (LMT) lithium battery guide has also been added to the WEEE Ireland website to support consumers on the safe recycling of higher-capacity batteries such as those used in e-bikes, e-scooters, e-mobility and power packs.
See more stories here.
More about Irish Tech News
Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too.
You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news
If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at [email protected] now to discuss.
Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at [email protected] now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience.
You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.