Each year on April 22nd, individuals, businesses and communities across the globe take part in World Earth Day. The world earth day celebration is an opportunity to highlight the importance of environmental protection and is a reminder that even the smallest acts can have a major impact.
In Ireland, we like to recycle our old electronics and the options to do so are plentiful. For instance, WEEE disposal centres, supermarkets and many retailers will take your electronics for recycling.
With that in mind, let’s look at how you can make every day an environment day and why it’s important to recycle your electronics.
Electronic Recycling on the Rise
In a recent report by WEEE Ireland, data collected highlights how the Irish public is going above and beyond to reduce electronic waste (e-waste). The report revealed that WEEE has ‘facilitated the collection and recycling of more than 609,000 tonnes of electrical waste, 250 million old and broken electrical items’ over a 20-year period.
What this shows is that the people of Ireland are environmentally conscious when it comes to recycling electronics. Alongside recycling, people also often look for ways of repairing products before recycling or purchasing something new, too, which in essence keeps electronics from ending up in landfill.
These efforts by the Irish public are crucial as EU member states must collect a minimum of 65% of the average weight of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) placed on the market over the three preceding years. And while refurbished laptops, for example, aren’t counted among this figure despite keeping materials in circulation, repairing your electronics still goes a long way towards protecting the environment.
What Electronics Can be Recycled?
When doing a spring clean or simply swapping out an old phone for a new one, people often wonder what electronics they can recycle.
The good news is that the list of what electronics can be recycled is extensive and may include one or two surprising items. Below are examples of what electronics you can recycle according to WEEE Ireland.
Household Items
•Kettles and toasters
•Hand mixers and blenders
•Cooling fans and electric heaters
•Microwaves and radios
•Hoovers
Lighting
•Fluorescent bulbs and lamps (FL’s)
•Compact fluorescent bulbs and lamps (CFLs)
•LED bulbs, lamps and luminaires
•Luminaires and lighting equipment
Toys and Technology
•Battery-operated toys and electronic learning toys
•TVs, game consoles and accessories
•Laptops and desktop PCs
•iPads, iPods and MP3 players
•Landlines, mobile phones and accessories
Power Tools
•Electric lawnmowers
•Electric drills, sanders and lawnmowers
•Hedge trimmers, grass trimmers and pressure washers
Personal Care Appliances
•Hair dryers, curlers, straighteners and shavers
•Electric razors, toothbrushes and foot spas
•Weighing scales
Large Household Appliances
•Cookers and dishwashers
•Fridges and freezers
•Washing machines and dryers
The Issue of E-waste
Electronic waste, or e-waste, includes anything reliant on the likes of plugs, cords and electronic components. Mobile phones, laptops, fridges, items we use each day. It’s an area of waste that continues to grow alongside technological advancement. For instance, when new devices are developed, people like to upgrade to keep with the times.
In their report, Global e-Waste Monitor 2024, Unitar concluded that a record 62 million tonnes of e-waste was produced in 2022, an increase of 82% from 2010. With society and business becoming increasingly reliant on electronics, Unitar predicts the figure will rise to around 82 million tonnes by 2030.
With World Earth Day upon us, now is the time to reduce your e-waste impact. It’s a chance to gather those phones you’ll never use again, unplug that dusty desktop with the clunky keyboard and take them down to your nearest WEEE centre or recycling depot. The smallest effort still has an impact, although it’s obvious the people of Ireland are already aware of that.
The Benefits of Refurbished Electronics
At Wisetek Store, we offer a broad range of high quality, reliable and affordable refurbished devices, including:
•Phones
•Laptops
•Desktops
•MacBooks
•Tablets
•Monitors
Our products have been tested, repaired where necessary and cleaned to ensure they perform like new. What’s more, Wisetek’s devices and accessories are available at a fraction of the cost, up to 60% savings in some cases, and come with all the features you expect.
Conclusion
World Earth Day 2025 is an opportunity for everyone to assess their recycling practices. What better place to start than gathering up the disused electronics lying around your house?
So, if you find a bundle of batteries, a drawer full of phones that haven’t been used in a decade or a rusty microwave in your shed, pack them into your car and drop them off at one of Ireland’s many WEEE disposal centres. Even recycling old school calculators and keyboards helps. After all, the smallest acts can have a major impact.