New figures show 36,131 tonnes of e-waste and 856 tonnes of waste batteries for recycling were collected last year.

The WEEE Ireland recycling scheme said Irish consumers and businesses have contributed to saving the equivalent of 220,000 tonnes of CO2.

The scheme's annual report revealed that WEEE Ireland, its members and partners recycled the equivalent of 10.2kg of e-waste per head of population last year.

WEEE Ireland said it had a 65% collection rate already achieved on behalf of its members.

Image: WEEE Ireland

This comes in the context of volatile commodity markets and challenging uncertainty in the British and Irish marketplaces.

Among the items recycled were an estimated 3.2 million lamps and lightbulbs, 195,000 televisions and monitors and 13 million small appliances.

Some 48% of all the e-waste recycled was large household appliances - such as dishwashers, ovens and washing machines.

WEEE Ireland also surpassed EU targets in waste portable battery collections, with 48% take back rate - which is 856 tonnes of waste portable batteries collected for recycling.

Leo Donovan, CEO of WEEE Ireland, said: "It's incredibly encouraging to see our continued progress for 2018, with Ireland again best-in-class in Europe for collection of our electrical and electronic waste.

"To see such a high level of progress year-on-year is a testament to the commitment to the cause of e-waste recycling on the part of consumers and businesses.

"In particular, the increased rates of collection through retail outlets and at our local authority sites show that the message is hitting home on the contribution that individuals can make."

Image: WEEE Ireland

He added: "We are extremely proud of these results and want to thank every person who recycled even one item of e-waste.

"As we move towards legislation to implement the Circular Economy principles, it’s amazing to see 83% of material collected be recovered for use again in manufacturing.

"However, we can't become complacent. We will only achieve long-term change and benefits for the environment if we continue to manage our e-waste responsibly."

Ireland and all other European Union member states have Circular Economy legislation to implement over the next 12 months.

This will increase municipal waste recycling and recovery targets - but also focus activity more on waste prevention, repair and reuse as well as eco-design and recovery.