Companies Urged to “Promise it” to Rehab Recycle as Part of
New Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative
Date of issue: Monday, November 21, 2011
The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan TD, today officially launched Rehab Recycle’s new state-of-the-art facility dedicated to electrical reuse in Tallaght – the first of its kind in Ireland. The new operation will be focused on the reuse of electrical and electronic equipment and will have the capacity to process up to 10,000 tonnes a year.
Rehab Recycle will accept anything with a battery, cable or plug from companies and then, following careful examination, those items deemed acceptable for reuse will be refurbished and given a second life. Where this is not possible, the item will be broken down into its separate components and reused in the development of new products.
A new corporate social responsibility initiative “Promise it to Rehab Recycle” was also unveiled at the launch to encourage companies to pass on all of their out-of-date and unused computer and other electrical equipment for the benefit of schools, charities, community groups and start-up enterprises.
Speaking prior to the event, Minister Phil Hogan commented:
“Ireland is leading the way in Europe recycling an average of 9kg of waste electrical goods per year per head of population – that’s 3.5kg above the European average. If we are really committed to conserving our natural resources for future generations, then we need to focus on reuse. Reusing electrical goods saves our pockets, our environment, and creates jobs in a whole new electrical reuse market. I commend Rehab Recycle for its dynamism and determination in bringing forward this development and for its efforts to increase significantly our levels of reuse.”
Angela Kerins, Rehab Chief Executive, added:
“For over 25 years, Rehab Recycle has been to the forefront of recycling in Ireland, pioneering new developments and technologies in the sector. Today’s launch of our new dedicated electrical reuse facility is hugely significant – reuse is the most efficient way to ensure equipment and resources are fully utilised. Unfortunately, the amount of reuse currently taking place is minimal and so we hope to change all that. Already, Rehab Recycle works closely with a range of major corporate partners such as Dell, Fujitsu, IBM, O2, eircom, the HSE, An Post and various banks. Today, with the launch of ‘Promise it to Rehab Recycle’, we are hoping that more companies, both big and small, will come on board and promise all their disused computer and other electrical equipment to Rehab Recycle.
“When a company signs up, it means that the natural life of their computers and other equipment can be extended, the load of landfills lessened, people who might otherwise not have access to computers get connected, and companies gain good PR for their businesses among customers and staff. By making that promise to Rehab Recycle, companies are also supporting the employment of people with disabilities – of Rehab Recycle’s staff of 138 currently, 85 have a disability – and that’s something to be really proud of.
“Rehab Recycle is committed to continuing to create employment opportunities, and reuse of electrical and electronic equipment offers enormous potential for job creation. Over the next three years we have active plans to grow this business. Research carried out by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shows that every 1,000 tonnes of electronic and electrical equipment reused has the potential to create 200 jobs, both directly and indirectly[i] <#_edn1> .”
The enhanced Tallaght facility features a new data destruction area; a new wet room for the repair of general waste electrical goods; new plant and machinery for improved asset identification; a new secure area for storing assets with data; and enhanced security measures in place, including a new CCTV security system.
Companies can register for the new initiative at www.promiseit.ie <http://www.promiseit.ie> or Freefone 1800 661 551 and when they are ready, Rehab Recycle will take back their discarded equipment. In the case of desktops and laptops, all data will be permanently and verifiably removed using Blancco data destruction software, the system refurbished, a new Microsoft package uploaded, and then the equipment delivered to the organisation of the company’s choice.
The Tallaght facility is accredited with a number of standards, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, BS OHSAS 18001 and PAS 141, the British Standard Institution’s specification for the reuse of used and waste electrical and electronic equipment. See www.rehabrecycle.ie <http://www.rehabrecycle.ie>
Ends
Issued by:
Miriam Ryan, Insight Consultants, 01 293 99 77 / 086 353 1679
About Rehab Recycle
Rehab Recycle is part of Rehab Enterprises, the commercial arm of the Rehab Group. Separate to its operation in Tallaght, Rehab Recycle has a dedicated WEEE recycling facility in Ballymount, in addition to its facilities in Galway, Cork, Glasgow and Eindhoven. Rehab Recycle operates in a range of sectors, including asset recovery, information security management, waste electrical and electronic equipment recycling, expanded polystyrene recycling, confidential document destruction, glass recycling (through Rehab Glassco), and mobile phone and printer cartridge recycling.
In addition to Rehab Recycle, Rehab Enterprises also operates Rehab Logistics which has premises in Limerick, Navan and Portlaoise, as well as in Poland (Łódź) and Scotland (Inverness and Glasgow), offering cost-effective, robust solutions in the areas of quality manufacturing, assembly, warehousing and distribution. On the retail side, Rehab Enterprises operates the SMILES newsagents chain of shops across Dublin, providing a range of convenience store services in key business locations. The company has a total workforce of 410, of whom 209 have a disability. See www.rehabenterprises.ie