Revealed: Statistics show how much Tipperary people recycled in 2023

Tipperary people recycled an average of just over 9kg of e-waste in 2023.

This falls below the 9.51kg average collected last year, new figures reveal.

Figures from Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Ireland’s annual report, which covers the 20 counties in which it operates, show that approximately 18.1 million appliances were collected for recycling in 2023, exceeding all European norms.

1,518 tonnes of electrical waste were collected in Tipperary last year by WEEE Ireland, contributing to the record-breaking 41,730 tonnes of electronic and electrical waste recycled last year.

When compared to 2022, consumers across Ireland recycled the equivalent of 200 forty-foot containers more than the previous year.

With Tipperary people’s e-waste recycling below the average, WEEE Ireland’s CEO warns we need to recycle more critical raw materials as Ireland’s population grows, and so too does our consumption of new appliances.

“Most householders in Tipperary have a hidden treasure trove of broken, unused or unwanted electrical equipment in their homes,” said Leo Donovan.

“They alone hold the key to recycling them, giving them a new lease of life so we can recover the critical raw materials they contain.”

The e-waste haul saved from landfill in 2023, up from the 40,767 tonnes collected in 2022, includes two million lighting items, a quarter of a million TVs and over half a million large household appliances, including fridge freezers.

A remarkable 750,000 used vapes were also collected after the national recycling scheme implemented its first dedicated takeback programme for waste e-cigarettes and vapes last year through WEEE Ireland Blue Battery Boxes.

Over 15 million small appliances such as coffee makers, calculators, kettles and keyboards, and the equivalent of 66 million used AA batteries were handed back to make their way into the circular economy.

The Critical Raw Materials Act came into effect in Ireland last month, and by 2030, 25% of critical and strategic materials such as lithium, copper and cobalt must be sourced from recycling systems within Europe.

Consumers are encouraged to bring old and broken appliances for free recycling to their nearest local authority civic amenity centre or participating electrical retailers, with no purchase necessary.

For more information on recycling e-waste and upcoming free public recycling days, visit www.weeeireland.ie.