Brought to you by WEEE Ireland

We don't always recycle these items, but we absolutely need to.

What do you do with your devices when they reach the end of their lifespan? Do you chuck them in the waste bin? Or put them in the back of a drawer, untouched for years? If this sounds like you, it looks like your recycling efforts might be falling a bit short... A recent WEEE Ireland study has shown that nearly a third (30%) of 18-24 year olds discard their broken devices or small electric items in waste bins, instead of recycling them. In comparison, only 7% of over 55s were guilty of chucking these electrics in the waste bin. This is pretty bad news considering the safest, most environmentally friendly way to dispose of your electrical items is through your local recycling centre. In case you're not aware, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is anything that has a plug or a battery, and is at the end of its useful life. Recycling WEEE items is completely free, with thousands of authorised recycling points available all around the country, so it couldn't be easier to dispose of your old electrics. But for some reason we're still sending our electrical items to the landfill, where they'll never get recycled. So to clear up any confusion on the matter, here's a handy list of household electrics that can and should be recycled when they reach the end of their life. All of these items can be recycled at your local recycling centre or electrical store. To find a WEEE Ireland recycling point near you, click here.

Everyday tech

When turning it off and on again no longer does the trick, it usually means a new phone or laptop is in order. But what do you do with the old one? Mobile phones, laptops, computers and tablets can all be easily recycled and this is the safest way to dispose your old tech. You should never put your old devices in the bin, as this can have serious effects on the environment. But it's also a waste of resources. When we don't recycle these products, we're not recovering valuable raw materials that could be reused or reproduced, which is so important for reducing our carbon footprint.

Display equipment

Upgrading your TV? CRT, LCD and Plasma televisions can all be recycled, and the same can be said for computer monitors as well. When we illegally dump or mismanage items like these, hazardous materials can cause some nasty pollution that's harmful to our health and the environment.

Batteries and bulbs

It looks like there's a generation of battery hoarders among us... It turns out that 15% of 18-24 year olds are holding onto waste batteries instead of recycling them, which seems fairly pointless to be honest. And it can be quite dangerous too. Disposing of batteries incorrectly can have serious effects on the environment and can even cause battery related fires.

Household appliances

Washing machines, dishwashers, cookers, fridges and freezers can and should be recycled. The same can be said for smaller appliances like toasters, electric tools and even some toys. If we're not recycling these, we're wasting valuable resources that could have been used again, which isn't ideal at all. To find your nearest WEEE recycling point, visit weeeireland.ie. Brought to you by WEEE Ireland