Householders across County Galway are being encouraged to bring their batteries and electrical/electronic waste to a set of free collection days being held in Mountbellew, Loughrea, Gort, Maam Cross and Oughterard during April and May.
Hosted by WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Ireland and supported by Galway County Council, the annual initiative saw over 2,720 tonnes of electrical waste collected in the county last year.
Anything with a plug, battery or cable can be recycled for free on the day, including old washing machines, TVs, toasters and kettles, electronic tools and toys, cables, IT equipment, mobile phones, remote controls and batteries.
The series of events kicks off on Saturday April 6th at the Oughterard GAA car park followed by Loughrea Mart (April 13th), Mountbellew-Moylough GAA Club (April 20th), Maam Cross Mart (April 27th) and Gort Co-Operative Mart (May 4th). Collections will be accepted from 10.00am to 4.00pm each day.
Cllr. Liam Carroll, Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council said “With old electric waste items and batteries lying around many households, these drop-off days provide a great opportunity to recycle these items for free. This initiative ensures waste is diverted from landfill, raw materials are recovered for reuse, and hazardous materials are safely and responsibly disposed of. “
“Recycling e-waste is incredibly beneficial for both the environment, the county, and the economy,” said Liam Conneally, Chief Executive at Galway County Council. “There are many old items still lying around a lot of households and we are delighted to work with WEEE Ireland in offering householders the opportunity to recycle these for free.”
According to Leo Donovan, CEO of WEEE Ireland Ltd., “People living in County Galway have contributed greatly to e-waste recycling every year. We want to encourage that trend and ensure that everyone avails of this free service.”
Eileen Ruane, Director of Services commented “We look forward to working with WEEE Ireland and Galway householders to hopefully recycle a record-breaking amount of electronic waste. All items collected this year will help County Galway meet national e-waste recycling targets for 2024.”
Galway County Council provides a WEEE collection service for householders on an ongoing basis at its Civic Amenity and Recycling Sites in Tuam, Clifden and Ballinasloe. Visit www.galway.ie for more information.
