CORK consumers recycled an average of 15 AA batteries per person in 2021, an increase of 16% on the previous year.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is now urging Corkonians to keep up the good work, to prevent the valuable materials in batteries ending up in landfills.

Ireland achieved a 46% battery recycling rate in 2021, reaching its EU directive obligations, however the soaring demand for batteries for electric vehicles may make targets harder to reach in future, according to WEEE.

According to WEEE Ireland data, consumers in Cork city and county were in line with the national trend of 15 AA batteries per person prevented from entering landfill in 2021 - an increase of two per person on 2020.

“This small increase of two extra AA batteries recycled per person across Ireland made a huge difference and we are urging everyone in Cork to recycle at least two more in 2022 to reach our target – and to stop and think before throwing them in the bin,” said WEEE Ireland CEO, Leo Donovan.

Younger consumers in particular are being urged to stop binning used batteries, as a new survey reveals almost half of 18-34-year-olds are throwing them away, despite warnings around the environmental and safety hazards of incorrect disposal.

“They are often lauded as the most environmentally conscious, yet the survey shows a worrying 43% of adults under the age of 34, actually throw their used batteries in general waste bins instead of recycling them,” said Mr Donovan.

“Binning batteries means that a range of really valuable resources will never be recycled. We need a sea change in behaviour amongst this cohort in order to properly address the problem,” he added.

Data across all age groups shows a total of 16% of the population binning and 6% hoarding batteries.

WEEE are reminding consumers that any retailer selling batteries will also take them back for recycling, in addition to hundreds of recycling centres around the country.

“For the millions of batteries not recycled properly every year, we lose precious elements and important resources that can only be replaced by mining. The environmental and social costs of extracting and processing the materials required for battery manufacturing, can be huge. The world will require much less mining for materials if we can recycle more spent ones,” said Mr Donovan.