Free e-waste recycling event for Leitrim householders

Leitrim householders are being urged to bring their batteries, electrical, and electronic waste to a free collection day to help the county meet national e-waste recycling targets for 2025.

The event, hosted by Waste, Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Ireland is in partnership with Leitrim County Council.

The collection takes place on Saturday, February 15 at Avant Money Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon, from 10am to 4pm.

Anything with a plug, battery or cable can be recycled for free on the day, including old washing machines, TVs, toasters and kettles, electronic tools and toys, cables, IT equipment, mobile phones, remote controls, batteries, including farm fence batteries, and even watches. 

“In Leitrim, and across Ireland, we are buying more electrical goods than ever – with people purchasing an average 22kg per head in 2023 compared to 16kgs just six years ago,” said Leo Donovan, CEO of WEEE Ireland CEO Leo Donovan. 

“Shopping stats show a surge in spend on new electrical devices like mobile phones, computers, small kitchen appliances and white goods.  

“With old items still lying around many households we want to offer the opportunity to recycle these for free. 

“People in Leitrim have contributed greatly to e-waste recycling every year, with 167 tonnes of electrical waste collected in the county in 2023, and we want to encourage that trend.”  

4.75kg of e-waste was recycled per person in Leitrim in 2023 – falling short of the national average of 10.33kg per person that same year.  

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WEEE Ireland warns that the nation needs to meet new forthcoming EU targets to recycle at least 25 percent of our annual consumption of critical raw materials from e-waste. 

An average of 80 percent of all e-waste that collected by WEEE is recovered for use again in manufacturing through both indigenous operators and specialist processors in Europe.

In 2023, the equivalent of 222,852 tonnes of CO2 emissions were avoided by recycling e-waste through the WEEE Ireland Scheme as opposed to landfilling. 

This is the equivalent of the annual carbon consumption of 4,457 hectares of trees.  

WEEE Ireland accounts for over two thirds of all national waste electrical and electronics collection activity on behalf of 1,355 producer members. 

“Recycling e-waste is incredibly beneficial for both the environment and the economy,” said Mr Donovan. 

“Together, we are diverting waste from landfill, recovering raw materials for reuse and ensuring hazardous materials are safely and responsibly disposed of.  

“We look forward to working with Leitrim householders to hopefully recycle a record-breaking amount of electronic waste in 2025,” he concluded.

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