WEEE

A discarded washing machine.

WEEE is very harmful to the environment if left like this.

Copyright Environmental Protection Agency

A discarded washing machine.
Copyright Environmental Protection Agency

A discarded washing machine.

WEEE is very harmful to the environment if left like this.

Copyright Environmental Protection Agency

Enlarge image

Before 2005 much of the electrical waste in Ireland was disposed of in the municipal waste stream directly to landfill. This is not an ideal solution, as WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) can contain harmful substances that could cause problems to human health and the environment if not disposed of properly.  Non-renewable energy and raw material resources are also used in the production of a lot of electrical goods. The EU WEEE Directive aims to reduce quantities of WEEE disposed of to landfill and to reduce the harmful effects caused by them on health and the environment whilst conserving natural resources.

Since the introduction of the WEEE Regulations (2005) consumers can bring their unwanted electrical and electronic equipment to their local Civic Amenity centres for recycling free of charge. Another option is to bring them to a shop when buying a new item. To find your local centre check the WEEE website.

The amount of WEEE collected since 2008 is shown on this graph. 

The WEEE Directive is important because of our dependence on electrical goods. The images below show that our reliance on electrical appliances wasn't always so heavy. Further information about the WEEE Directive is available on the citizens information website.