Limerick households urged to take part in January battery recycling clear-out

Limerick households are being urged to take part in a January battery clear-out after new figures revealed that only half of all household batteries sold in Ireland are returned for safe recycling each year, raising concerns about environmental damage and fire safety risks.

Data released this week shows that people in Limerick recycled the equivalent of 12 batteries per household in 2025, below the national average of 16.

With almost half of all battery purchases made during the Christmas period, WEEE Ireland is encouraging residents to recycle used batteries and small electrical items as they make space for new gifts.

To support the nationwide clear-out, WEEE Ireland is distributing one million blue battery recycling boxes to homes during January.

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The boxes can be returned free of charge to participating retailers or local recycling centres and include a QR code linking to nearby drop-off points.

Leo Donovan, CEO of WEEE Ireland, said the initiative aims to prevent batteries from being stored in drawers or disposed of in household bins.

“As people make space for new gifts received at Christmas, we are asking people in Limerick to plan an e-waste and battery clear-out.

Our blue battery boxes are a simple but powerful reminder that batteries should never go in the bin. Recycling allows valuable materials to be safely recovered and reused,” he said.

The scheme also highlights low recycling rates for small electrical items. While 40 per cent of electronic gifts and toys are bought during the festive season, only 30 per cent are recycled. For electronic toys such as gaming consoles, e-scooters and battery-operated devices, the rate drops to just 10 per cent.

Minister of State Alan Dillon TD said improper disposal poses both environmental and fire risks. He urged households to use the free battery boxes and return old batteries from toys, decorations and devices, helping to keep harmful chemicals out of landfill and valuable materials in circulation across communities.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme