Help & FAQs

What is WEEE?

WEEE stands for ‘Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment’. WEEE is end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment – in simpler terms, it is anything with a plug, battery or cable! WEEE can range from old or broken fridge-freezers, washing machines, TVs, toasters and kettles, electronic tools and children’s toys, to smaller items such as mobile phones, cables, remote controls and even watches!

Why should I recycle my Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)?

There are many reasons as to why you should recycle your WEEE! By doing so, you are reducing the amount of waste going to landfill. Recycling your WEEE rather than dumping it means that valuable resources such as metals, glass and plastics can be used again in new products resulting in less mining of raw materials.

Lots of electronic goods also contain hazardous materials like heavy metals such as lead and mercury and dangerous gases like CFCs and HGFs which can cause serious environmental damage and can also cause harm to human health. By recycling your WEEE, you are helping to protect nature and human health whilst contributing to the fight against climate change and ozone layer depletion!

Why should I recycle my waste batteries?

Even items as small as household batteries can be dangerous if they are not disposed of correctly. Some batteries contain potentially hazardous materials such as mercury, cadmium and lead, which can pose a risk to the environment.

If waste batteries are not properly recycled, these substances may leak as batteries corrode, contributing to soil and water pollution and potentially harming human health.

When lithium-ion batteries and battery-powered electrical items – including vapes, power banks and e-scooter batteries – are incorrectly disposed of in household bins, they can become crushed or damaged during waste collection and processing. This can cause fires in bin lorries, waste facilities and recycling centres.

All batteries, as well as household electrical and electronic products, appliances and devices, contain valuable materials such as aluminium, copper, cobalt and lithium. Through recycling, these materials can be recovered and reused, helping to conserve natural resources, protect the environment and support a circular economy.

Anything with a plug, battery or cable can be recycled for free at thousands of collection points across Ireland. Find your nearest drop-off point.

What type of battery do I have and where can I recycle it?

From watch batteries and power tool batteries to e-bike, industrial and commercial batteries, it’s important to recycle them correctly. Find out how to identify different battery types and where they should be recycled. Learn more about battery recycling.

Where can I recycle my WEEE?

There are many locations around the country where you can recycle your WEEE. Find your closest drop-off point or civic amenity site.

Your household waste electrical items can be recycled in any Civic Amenity site/Recycling Centre around Ireland. This recycling service is free-of-charge for members of the public wishing to recycle their household WEEE.

All retailers of electrical equipment are also obliged to take back WEEE of a similar type on a one-for-one, like-for-like basis, free of charge. As well as this, certain electrical retailers are partaking in the ‘We’ll Take It Back’ campaign – meaning they will take back your household WEEE free-of-charge with no purchase necessary.

Where can I recycle my waste light bulbs?

There are many locations around the country where you can recycle your WEEE. Find your closest drop-off point or civic amenity site.

Your lightbulbs can be recycled in any Civic Amenity site/Recycling Centre around Ireland. This recycling service is free-of-charge for members of the public wishing to recycle their waste light bulbs.

How is electric waste recycled?

At collection, electrical waste (WEEE) is segregated into ‘families’ which are then sent for specific depollution and treatment processes in Ireland to divert hazardous material from landfill and from harming the environment and human health.

Electrical waste then undergoes multi stage recycling processes to break them into fractions of material e.g. glass, metals, plastics which can be used again in manufacturing.

What is the We’ll Take It Back Electrical Retailer Programme?

Electrical retailers must take back products on a like-for-like basis. However, several Irish retailers have signed up to the We’ll Take It Back Electrical Retailer Programme, meaning they will accept household e-waste with no purchase necessary, operating as free household e-waste recycling drop-off point. These electrical retailers include all stores/branches of Curry’s, DID, Expert, Euronics, Harvey Norman, PowerCity and Soundstore nationwide.