ELECTRONIC GOODS here are being recycled at a rate of more than twice the target set by the EU when new laws were introduced three years ago, new figures reveal.
On average, each of us recycled 9kg of used electronics goods last year, more than double the 4kg target set when retailers were first required to take back old items in 2005, the figures show.
Some 21 million electronic goods have now been recycled in the past three years, according to the figures published by WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Ireland, one of two authorised national compliance schemes for electrical recycling.
The figure includes 2.1 million large household appliances such as fridges, washing machines and cookers; 12 million small appliances such as kettles, toasters, radios etc; 750,000 televisions and computer monitors and 6.2 million lamps.
As a result, about 100,000 tonnes of electronic waste have been diverted from landfill since August 2005, WEEE Ireland says. More than 70 per cent of all waste electronic equipment collected has been initially processed in Ireland with the remainder going to dedicated treatment plants in Britain and Europe.
The success of the scheme has prompted WEEE Ireland to introduce new measures designed to make it easier to recycle used batteries. From September 26th, any retailer who sells batteries will be obliged to accept the same type of battery back from customers.
It is hoped the provision of more than 10,000 waste battery drop-off points will lead to a higher rate of recycling of the 2,000-plus tonnes of portable batteries sold each year.
The new arrangement will also apply to old car batteries, which may be returned to garages, motor factors and distributors, or other stockists.
Leo Donovan, chief executive of WEEE Ireland, said: "The collection and recycling results of old electronic equipment over the last three years show that significant volumes of material have now safely been recycled and diverted from landfill. "While the recycling rate for large items has been good, there is evidence that consumers are hoarding smaller items, even those these are broken or no longer used," Mr Donovan added.
"Recycling levels of larger items . . . have been very good, however the take-back of smaller items, such as adaptors, chargers, cables and headphones, could be much better. People tend to hoard these items and forget about them."
Any household item requiring a plug or battery at the end of its life is considered WEEE. These items can be deposited at any of 80 civic amenity sites for recycling or handed in at electrical shops when equivalent items are being purchased.
