With thousands of television sets expected to be recycled due to the digital switchover on 24 October, WEEE Ireland has announced it is the official recycling partner of Saorview.
CEO of WEEE Ireland Leo Donovan said the digital switchover was “a big watershed in terms of consumer electronics for Ireland”.
“As the official recycling partner our main role is to provide people with the right information so that they can make an informed decision when it comes to proper recycling or upgrading of their television sets.”
Viewers who wish to keep their existing television can upgrade to digital with a Saorview approved set-top-box, preventing unnecessary waste of functioning electrical equipment.
Alternatively viewers who want to buy a new television can recycle their old one for free at their local civic amenity site and authorised public collection events across the country, such as those WEEE Ireland holds on a weekly basis.
In addition, under the Irish WEEE Regulations suppliers and retailers are obliged to take back old televisions for recycling as well as other waste electrical equipment on a like-for-like basis when customers purchase a new appliance.
WEEE Ireland is predicting at least a 25% increase in waste televisions coming back for recycling in 2012 and the scheme suspects that will rise as people make decisions closer to the switch off date on upgrading or changing their set.
In 2011 it collected 25, 991 tonnes, or 7.88kg per head of electronic waste, which was almost double the 4kg target as set out by the EU.