Initiatives and Case Studies
WEEE Ireland’s Circular Economy Strategy 2025-2027
WEEE Ireland has recently launched its new Circular Economy Strategy 2025-2027. Acknowledging the ever-changing EPR field, this Strategy was developed in a consultative process with key Members and Stakeholders to address emerging issues in the circular transition for the e-waste industry.
WEEE Ireland Initiative / WEEE Ireland & Partners / All WEEE / Recycle / Reduce / Remanufacture / Repair / Rethink
Introduction
As WEEE Ireland celebrates 20 years of service, from 2005-2025, the regulatory landscape has changed significantly since the publication of the original WEEE Directive in 2002. WEEE Ireland has been at the forefront in delivering high-quality Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) solutions for the WEEE and Battery industry. WEEE Ireland is currently the largest WEEE and Battery EPR scheme in Ireland, with a market share of 76% and 96% respectively. As a new WEEE Directive/Regulation is coming down the tracks, following the new EU Batteries Regulation already published in 2023, the team at WEEE Ireland continues to ask themselves how they can continue to evolve to support the circular transition and climate action.
WEEE Ireland has recently launched its new Circular Economy (CE) Strategy 2025-27. This Strategy was developed in a consultative process with key Members and Stakeholders to address emerging issues in the circular transition for the e-waste industry. There have been many policy developments in recent years regarding the CE, including the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy and Ireland’s national CE strategy, Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy 2022-23. These developments have reflected the European movement towards a more sustainable and resilient economy under the European Green Deal.
In a survey of WEEE Ireland Members, 68% said they were ‘very supportive’ of WEEE Ireland’s transition from a recycling/recovery-based Scheme to a circular economy model. These policy and programme developments, aligned with the latest EPR Scheme Ministerial Approval granted to WEEE Ireland for the next three years, set the strategic context for the Scheme for the coming years. This CE Strategy builds on and accelerates the work already undertaken by the Scheme, in fostering a more circular approach to WEEE and Battery management in Ireland.
This requires rethinking traditional approaches to EPR reporting, financing, system design, business models, and supply chains. It also requires understanding synergies with other rapid developments that are impacting Producers in the compliance and regulatory space, including Regulation on Ecodesign for Sustainable Products, a New Repair Directive, Critical Raw Material Act and more. The Strategic Objectives set out in the Strategy recognise the challenges and opportunities ahead for WEEE Ireland’s Members in continuing to support the transition to a CE and deliver positive change in environmental impact for EEE and batteries on the Irish market.
Themes
The CE Strategy encompasses the New Circular Vision and Mission while upholding WEEE Ireland’s core values.
This is supported by several key strategic themes including:
- Circular Economy
- Organisational Transformation
- Financing the Circular Economy
- Membership Strategy & Engagement
- Communications
- WEEE and Battery Operations
Summary
Strategic Theme 1: Circular Economy
To begin with, this theme sets out an overarching theme to lead the e-waste sector transformation to deliver a CE by fostering circularity in the management of WEEE and Batteries. WEEE Ireland is developing a roadmap with circularity metrics for measuring progress towards this CE Strategy, while continuing to inform the Irish public on the renewed focus of the Scheme and highlight the circular innovation already underway from Producer Members on the Close the E-Loop page. It is essential to the Strategy to collaborate with partners and stakeholders in the delivery of the Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy to support transformational change and necessary action across the e-waste sector. WEEE Ireland has been a collaborative partner with our European counterparts in the WEEE Forum working in the transition to a CE.
Strategic Theme 2: Organisational Transformation
The organisational transformation built into the CE Strategy will involve reviewing WEEE Ireland’s organisational structure, culture, and capabilities to ensure it is best placed to deliver on its targets. It will also ensure that WEEE Ireland is best positioned to deliver as the sole WEEE and Battery EPR scheme in Ireland if this opportunity arises. WEEE Ireland will continue to strive to provide best-in-class services for EPR in Ireland and the EU. Reviews and amendments will be made, where necessary, to the company’s policies to ensure that they align with the strategic objectives, while investing in value-added partnerships.
Strategic Theme 3: Financing the Circular Strategy
52% of Members surveyed said they believed that WEEE Ireland is allocating sufficient resources, both financial and non-financial, towards achieving its circular economy goals. However, 43% answered that they were unsure. WEEE Ireland has worked hard to incorporate a financial review in the CE Strategy. Bearing in mind Producers’ EPR responsibilities, it is essential to develop a finance strategy that is fair and equitable to ensure stakeholder buy-in, trust, inclusivity, and long-term sustainability.
Strategic Theme 4: Membership Strategy & Engagement
Delivering for Members is a primary objective of WEEE Ireland. It is essential to understand and appreciate the challenges WEEE and battery Producers face to achieve compliance with the relevant regulations. WEEE Ireland plays a pivotal role in supporting Members and delivering a strategy that builds a loyal, active, and supportive membership base. The CE Strategy will allow us to develop a Membership Strategy which in a competitive market, attracts, retains, and engages Members while ensuring that the value proposition remains relevant and compelling.
Strategic Theme 5: Communications
WEEE Ireland’s communications strategy will effectively convey the Vision, Mission, and CE Strategy to its Members and wider stakeholder community, to foster a greater understanding, level of engagement, and alignment with WEEE Ireland’s values and strategic objectives. The main strategic objective is to raise awareness, build trust, enhance reputation, and support WEEE Ireland’s broader goals to drive change, through clear, consistent, and impactful messaging. WEEE Ireland strives to build and strengthen relationships with all key stakeholders and drive behavioural change and inspire circular action.
Strategic Theme 6: WEEE Operations
Operational activities cover the collection, logistics, recycling, treatment solutions, and circular activities necessary in the sustainable management of electronics and batteries at end of life. This is the core of WEEE Ireland. WEEE Ireland is enhancing system collection and increasing accessibility for the public for our services. We strive to achieve targets cost-effectively, while ensuring efficiency and quality, in promoting circularity and maximising the potential for indigenous recycling. These are all important steps in promoting circularity and R-strategies initiatives while still prioritising quality treatment when recycling, supported by mandated standards to deliver recovery of strategic and critical raw materials.
You can read the Circular Economy Strategy in full here.
For more information
For more information about the Circular Economy Strategy, please contact the WEEE Ireland team at info@weeeireland.ie.