Partnership Aims to Boost Electronic Recycling Levels

A new national e-recycling service was launched January 20^th  in Ireland.

The service – a partnership between Rehab Recycle and Indaver Ireland – has the capacity to meet the entire annual target set for Ireland by the EU under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive which comes into effect in August.

Through its plants throughout Ireland, Rehab Recycle will be able to reprocess around 50 metric tons of WEEE a day.

Following the introduction of the Directive, consumers will be entitled to return WEEE either to where it was purchased or to an authorized collection point free of charge. Producers will become responsible for the final disposal of goods such as fridges, microwaves, mobile phones, TVs and computers. Anyone found guilty of putting these into landfill could face substantial fines of up to €15 million and possibly a jail term.

A crucial element of the new service, said Bob Rowat, Rehab’s general manager, is the involvement of Indaver Ireland. Operating since 1977, the company has a record in delivering high quality, cost effective services in the specialist hazardous and non-hazardous waste markets in this country. It also has significant experience of recycling WEEE through its operations in Belgium.

John Johnston, Indaver Ireland’s commercial manager, said the launch of the facility in Tallaght was an important first step in the co-operation between Rehab and Indaver Ireland. “Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment is one of Ireland’s fastest growing waste streams and this facility as well as the others we have planned with Rehab, will go a long way towards addressing the infrastructural deficit that currently exists in dealing with this waste type,” said Johnston.