Kilkenny householders urged to hit targets as county falls below national average

Kilkenny City and the south of the county are being asked to show their green side and help hit some recycling goals.

Householders are being urged to bring their batteries, electrical, and electronic waste to a series of free collection days to meet national e-waste recycling targets for 2024.

The events, hosted by WEEE Ireland in partnership with Kilkenny County Council, begin at the grounds of football club Thomastown United, which will host the first collection day on Saturday, August 10 from 10am to 4pm.

A collection will be held at the grounds of Slieverue GAA Club on Thursday August 15 from 10am to 1pm, before moving to the car park of Mooncoin Community Centre from 4 to 7pm that day.

A collection will be held in the car park of Piltown Community Centre on Saturday, August 17 from 10am to 4pm.

The final event will be held on Friday, August 23, with a collection at Cillin Hill on the Dublin Road.

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Anything with a plug, battery or cable can be recycled for free each day, including old washing machines, TVs, toasters and kettles, electronic tools and toys, cables, IT equipment, mobile phones, remote controls, batteries, including farm fence batteries, and even watches.

"In Kilkenny, and across Ireland, we are buying more electrical goods than ever – with people purchasing an average 22kg per head in 2023 compared to 16kgs just five years ago," said WEEE Ireland CEO Leo Donovan.

"Shopping stats show a surge in spend on new electrical devices like mobile phones, computers, small kitchen appliances and white goods.

"With old items still lying around many households we want to offer the opportunity to recycle these for free," he added.

"People in Kilkenny have contributed greatly to e-waste recycling every year, with 901 tonnes of electrical waste collected in the county in 2023, and we want to encourage that trend."

Some 8.66kg of e-waste was recycled per person in Kilkenny last year – falling short of the national average of 10.33kg per person.

WEEE Ireland warns that the nation needs to meet new forthcoming EU targets to recycle at least 25% of our annual consumption of critical raw materials from e-waste.

"An average of 80% of all e-waste that we collect is recovered for use again in manufacturing through both indigenous operators and specialist processors in Europe," said Donovan. "Most end-of-life products contain metals and minerals in higher concentrations than primary resources.

"These stocks of resources are the urban mines of the future, so our recycling efforts can have a significant impact on the environment."

In 2023, the equivalent of 222,852 tonnes of CO2 emissions were avoided by recycling e-waste through the WEEE Ireland Scheme as opposed to landfilling. That is the equivalent of the annual carbon consumption of 4,457 hectares of trees.
WEEE Ireland accounts for over two-thirds of all national waste electrical and electronics collection activity on behalf of 1,355 producer members.

These free events are in partnership with Kilkenny County Council.

"WEEE Ireland electrical recycling days are a crucial step towards reducing the amount of electronic waste ending up in our landfills and conserving natural resources,” said Mags Whelan, Environmental Awareness and Education Officer.

"As the environmental awareness officer, I would like to emphasise the significance of responsible disposal of electrical waste.

"When we recycle our electronic devices, we not only reduce the environmental impact of extracting and processing raw materials but also conserve energy and water.

"Kilkenny County Council encourages residents to participate in WEEE Ireland's electrical recycling days and take advantage of this convenient opportunity to dispose of their unwanted electronics responsibly.

"Together, we can make a positive impact on our environment and create a more sustainable future for generations to come."