As Christmas approaches, Wexford residents are being urged to recycle their old electronics responsibly. New data from WEEE Ireland reveals that while almost half of Ireland’s small electronic items are bought during the November and December holiday period, Wexford is falling behind in recycling rates. Only three in ten devices are being returned to the circular economy, leaving many unused electronics to gather dust or be discarded improperly.
WEEE Ireland’s data shows that over 11 million small electronic items were purchased across Ireland last year, with 4.4 million of these sold during Black Friday and the Christmas season. However, Wexford’s recycling trends indicate that most of these devices are not recycled when they are no longer usable.
The situation is even worse for toys like gaming consoles and battery-operated action figures, with a national recycling rate as low as 10%. This means millions of old electronics are left in drawers or irresponsibly disposed of.
With 73% of Irish consumers shopping online, WEEE Ireland is calling on Wexford residents to adopt more sustainable habits by recycling old devices when purchasing new ones.
“Electronics are a major category in online shopping, particularly during sales events like Black Friday and Christmas, when people are looking for good deals,” said Elizabeth O’Reilly, Head of Environmental Compliance at WEEE Ireland. “However, despite free recycling services being available from retailers like Amazon, recycling rates in Wexford remain low, especially for online purchases.”
O’Reilly reminds consumers that Irish legislation requires all retailers to accept obsolete electronics for free recycling when selling a similar new device. She encourages shoppers to check retailers’ take-back policies, as many offer convenient options, including collection services or free postal returns.
“Swapping your old device while you shop ensures it’s recycled properly, reducing environmental harm and conserving valuable resources,” O’Reilly added.
To support more sustainable shopping, WEEE Ireland recommends the following tips for the holiday season:
- Recycle while you buy: Take advantage of free recycling services when purchasing new devices.
- Opt for refurbished: Consider nearly new or refurbished devices, and look for trade-in offers.
- Repair first: Extend the life of gadgets by repairing them instead of replacing them.
- Reuse and share: Pass on working electronics to others who can still use them.
- Recycle responsibly: Use authorised WEEE Ireland collection points for broken devices that can’t be repaired.
WEEE Ireland provides hundreds of collection points across civic amenity centres and works with participating retailers to make e-waste recycling as easy as possible for consumers.
