Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment and Batteries
WEEE is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the developed world. Until recently, a lot of WEEE would have been thrown into the bin and disposed of in landfill. Improved regulation of the collection, recycling and disposal of WEEE has been law at European level (WEEE Directive) and brought into Irish law (WEEE Regulations) since 2005. New Irish WEEE regulations were published in March 2014, to implement changes that were introduced in Europe in the second WEEE Directive.
Two compliance schemes have been approved by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to manage the collection, recovery and recycling of WEEE; WEEE Ireland and European Recycling Platform [ERP] Both schemes report annually to the DECLG and demonstrate achievement of the EU targets for collection and recovery of WEE items.
A system of free “take back” of WEEE from the household waste stream was established with one off collection events, drop off points at retail outlets and civic amenity sites.
WEEE Ireland
WEEE Ireland in partnership with WEEE Europe now offers Pan-European Compliance Services to Producers of EEE and Batteries in 17 EU countries!
WEEE Ireland represents 96% of the Irish battery industry and 74% of the household electrical and electronic industry who have a Producer responsibility under EU Battery Directive 2006/66/EC & WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU to organise and finance the environmental management of their products at their end of life.
If you have electrical, battery or lighting waste you can recycle it FREE through WEEE’s many authorised collection points. Use their interactive map to find your nearest local recycling centre, Public Collection Day, Electrical Retailer and Bulb Exchange Store.
ERP
Created by producers for producers, over 24,500 customers trust ERP to manage their compliance across the EU. They provide members with high-quality compliance at the best possible price and simplify the complexities of compliance and reporting.
In 2017, they collected an average in the order of 9.6Kg of electronic waste per person in Ireland. The target for household portable battery collections as per the Regulations was 45%. ERP exceeded this target with a collection rate of 51%. This marks an impressive achievement and reflects the remarkable shift in the public’s attitude towards recycling.
End of Life Vehicles (ELV’s)
Vehicles which are discarded or which are deemed no longer useful due to damage caused by a collision or because of age are categorised as End of Life Vehicle (ELV). The vehicles registered owner is legally responsible for ensuring correct disposal by bringing an End-of-life vehicle to an authorised treatment facility (ATF) where the vehicle will be disposed of correctly and safely. By bringing ELVs to an ATF ensures that vehicles are dismantled correctly and that all hazardous material is removed safely prior to the vehicle being crushed or shredded. The process also ensures that the vehicle is recorded as an end-of-life vehicle on the National Vehicle & Driver File (NVDF), which is operated by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. This ensures that no further transactions, such as a change of ownership, can be processed against the vehicle and that the vehicle owner will no longer be liable for motor tax in respect of the vehicle.
This service is provided free of charge by authorised ATFs. The permitting regime for ATFs is overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and/or the local authorities. Local Authorities can provide an up to date listing of all ATFs operating in their functional areas. When a vehicle owner deposits a vehicle at an ATF, the ATF will issue a Certificate of Destruction against that vehicle. This is an important document and should be retained by the owner.
Click here for a list of ATFs.
Tyre producer responsibility initiative
The Waste Management Tyre Regulations apply to all farmers once the first movement of waste tyres onto or from their farm occurs; after which, farmers using waste tyres to anchor a silage pit must register with the approved body – Circol ELT. Click here for more information
Once registered, farmers are entitled to store up to a maximum of eight tyres/m² of their silage pit’s floor area. Farmers are prohibited from storing other waste tyres on their farm, other than the temporary storage of tyres related to their business.
Registered farmers must inform Circol ELT of all tyre movements onto or off their farm. All waste tyres removed off the farm must be collected by authorised waste tyre collectors.
