Galway people recycled the equivalent of 17 batteries per household last year, above the national average of 16, as new national data today revealed that only half of household batteries sold are making their way back for recycling each year.
To support a nationwide New Year clear-out, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Ireland plans to deliver 1 million blue battery recycling boxes to homes nationwide during January in a bid to capture a valuable hoard of waste batteries.
The boxes can be returned for free at participating retailers or local recycling centres.
As households replace old devices with new gifts received during Christmas, new figures from the e-waste recycling scheme show that almost half of all household battery purchases are made during the Christmas shopping period.
It is urging people to use this month to recycle any used batteries and unwanted small electrical items, rather than storing them away or binning them.
“As people make space for new gifts received at Christmas we are asking people in Galway to plan an e-waste and battery clear-out, ” said Leo Donovan, CEO of WEEE Ireland.
“As well as providing a handy QR code that connects you to a map of hundreds of local drop off points, our blue battery boxes are a simple but powerful reminder that batteries should never go in household bins. Returning for recycling ensures the safe recovery and reuse of the materials they contain.”
When it comes to small electronic items, 2024 figures from WEEE Ireland show a similar trend, with 40 per cent of Ireland’s annual small electronic gift and toy purchases happening in the festive period.
But just 30 per cent of these are returned to the circular economy for recycling.
Recycling rates for electronic toys such as gaming consoles, e-scooters and battery-operated action figures are even lower, dropping to just 10 per cent, leaving millions of unused, broken or obsolete toys lying around in homes or discarded incorrectly in the household bin.
Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy, Alan Dillon TD, said that every home in Ireland can make a difference.
“Batteries don’t belong in the bin – they belong in recycling. When we dispose of them incorrectly, we risk fires and environmental pollution.
“This January, WEEE Ireland is delivering one million battery boxes to households. Let’s use them. Collect every old battery from toys, decorations, and devices, and return them to your local retailer or recycling centre.”
“It’s free, safe, and it protects our environment. Together, we can keep dangerous chemicals out of landfills and rare materials in circulation. Let’s make 2026 about responsibility and care for each other.”
More information on WEEE Ireland’s network of free collection points across local authority civic amenity centres and retailers is available at weeeireland.ie
A new Light Means of Transport (LMT) lithium battery guide has also been added to the WEEE Ireland website to support consumers on the safe recycling of higher-capacity batteries such as those found in e-bikes, e-scooters, e-mobility and power packs.
