Clare recyclers exert their right to Be Free

SHEDS and garages in Clare are a little bit emptier this week after a surge of household appliances were disposed of as part of European Recycling Platform’s (ERP) Be Free Recycling Days.

Over the course of two days last weekend, people in Clare recycled more than half the amount of electrical waste recycled in the county over the whole of last year.
On Friday and Saturday last, Clare residents emerged in their hundreds and displayed their eco-spirit disposing of electrical waste and waste batteries in Lahinch and Ennis.
According to ERP, people disposed of “mostly fridges, televisions and washing machines as well as the usual big appliances but there were a lot of smaller items brought along on the day as well including kitchen equipment like toasters and kettles along with an assortment of vacuum cleaners, driers and hair straighteners and a lot of batteries”.
Commenting on the importance of electronic recycling in the county, Mayor of Clare, Councillor Christy Curtin said he was “delighted that once again, the people of Clare have come out in force to support the recycling days and I am confident that Clare will soon be topping the ERP Recycling League. Electrical waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world and the recycling days in Lahinch and Ennis offered the perfect opportunity for locals to dispose of any unwanted electronic waste and batteries.”
Over 380 cars made the journey to the recycling days and two Clare residents, who brought along five electrical items or more, won a pair of tickets to Electric Picnic, Ireland’s music and arts festival.
ERP is Ireland’s only pan-European compliance scheme for electrical and electronic waste and waste battery recycling and according to a spokesperson for the programme Clare has met its target by recycling “23 tonnes of electronic waste, the equivalent of 19 Clare football teams and puts the county in a great position in the 2010 ERP Recycling League”.
“We are delighted that so many Clare residents turned out to the free recycling days and played their part in diverting these electrical and electronic items from landfill,” said ERP general manager, Martin Tobin.  
Joan Tarmey, environmental awareness officer with Clare County Council said “the amount of e-waste that has been collected over the recycling days in Lahinch and Ennis is significant. This material is being properly treated and metals recovered where possible. It all amounts to good environmental protection.”
A survey carried out by ERP last year found that Clare residents are most likely to recycle electronic waste annually with televisions and computer equipment the most common items recycled.