Free e-waste and battery collection days taking place across Donegal
The initiative forms part of Donegal County Council’s ongoing commitment to improving recycling rates, supporting the circular economy and to help the county meet national e-waste recycling targets for 2026
Donegal County Council in partnership with WEEE Ireland, is encouraging householders across the county to recycle unwanted batteries, electrical and electronic waste at a series of free collection days taking place this October and November.
The initiative forms part of the council's ongoing commitment to improving recycling rates, supporting the circular economy and to help the county meet national e-waste recycling targets for 2026.
Delivered through a partnership between Donegal County Council and WEEE Ireland, the collection campaign will kick off on October 24 in Killybegs, before moving to Glenties and Falcarragh.
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Collections will take place on Saturday, October 24, from 10am to 4pm at The Shore Road Car Park, Killybegs. A collection will be held on Saturday, October 31, from 10am to 4pm at Naomh Conaill GAA Club, Davy Brennan Park, Church Road, Glenties, Co. Donegal (F94 H328). The final collection will take place on Saturday, November 7, from 10am to 4pm at Dennis McCallion’s Yard, opposite Cassidy’s Quarry, Falcarragh.
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, batteries, including farm fence batteries and even watches.
Leo Donovan, CEO of WEEE Ireland added that ‘in Donegal and across Ireland, we are buying more electrical goods than ever – with people purchasing an average 25kg per head in 2025 compared to 16kgs just eight years ago. Shopping stats show a surge in spend on new electrical devices like mobile phones, computers, small kitchen appliances and white goods. With old items still lying around many households, we want to offer the opportunity to recycle these for free. People in Donegal have contributed greatly to e-waste recycling every year, with 1,189 tonnes of electrical waste collected in the county in 2025, and we want to encourage that trend.’
WEEE (Waste, Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Ireland warns that the nation needs to meet new forthcoming EU targets to recycle at least 25% of our annual consumption of critical raw materials from e-waste.
An average of 82% of all e-waste collected is recovered for use again in manufacturing through both indigenous operators and specialist processors in Europe. Most end-of-life products contain metals and minerals in higher concentrations than primary resources.
In 2025, the equivalent of 206,401 tonnes of CO2 emissions were avoided by recycling e-waste through the WEEE Ireland Scheme as opposed to landfilling. That is the equivalent of the annual carbon consumption of 4,128 hectares of trees. WEEE Ireland accounts for over two thirds of all national waste electrical and electronics collection activity on behalf of 1,900 producer members.
An Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr. Gary Doherty welcomed the initiative and encouraged householders across the county to make use of the free collection events.
"Recycling electrical waste brings significant benefits for both our environment and our economy. By recycling old electrical items and batteries, we can reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, recover valuable materials for reuse, and ensure hazardous components are disposed of safely and responsibly. These collection events demonstrate the value of partnership working between Donegal County Council, WEEE Ireland and local communities in delivering practical climate action’
Seamus Hopkins, Senior Engineer, Environment and Climate Action, said: “Donegal County Council is committed to supporting householders to recycle more and waste less. These free collection days provide a convenient opportunity to clear out unwanted electrical items and batteries that may be stored away in homes, sheds and garages and ensure they are recycled responsibly. In 2025, Donegal householders recycled 1,189 tonnes of electrical waste through the WEEE Ireland scheme. While this is a significant achievement, there is still scope to improve, I would encourage householders to take advantage of the events in Killybegs, Glenties and Falcarragh and help us recover valuable materials for reuse rather than allowing them to go to waste.”
The campaign supports the objectives of Donegal County Council's Climate Action Plan by encouraging greater resource recovery, reducing waste to landfill and promoting sustainable consumption and recycling behaviours across the county.