What if you lived on an island, where transporting goods to and from the mainland is expensive? Transporting waste would then seem like a double burden.
Yet, keeping the waste on the island would quickly make it an uninhabitable place. A local circular economy becomes not only desirable but essential. The three Aran Islands (Inis Mór, Inis Meáin and Inis Oírr), located off the west coast of Ireland, have a small population of around 1,200 people. Together, they generate 12 tonnes of electrical waste annually, equivalent to three to four shipping containers. This accounts for 27% of the total waste that is transported to the mainland. One might expect that in such a remote setting, more waste would be retained in the value chain through reuse or repair.
Unfortunately, many islanders still find it easier to buy new, despite the high transport costs. There is little incentive to shift towards a repair or reuse mindset. Local experts, outnumbered in the challenge of dealing with electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) waste, see significant potential for improvement.
However, they call for investment in funding, communication campaigns and innovative solutions. Gerry Mullin, manager of Atchursail Arrann, provided an insightful tour of the waste collection facility on Inis Mór, the largest of the three islands. Patrick McHugh from Údarás na Gaeltachta, Jimmy Ó Ráinne from Comhairle Ceantar, and Frank Stiksma and Rianne Driessen from Saxion visited the island to better understand the EEE waste stream. Waste from all three islands is collected and managed on Inis Mór. Islanders show creativity in reusing spare parts to repair appliances, particularly washing machines. Some components are also being upcycled for other uses.
The organisation communicates with the local community through newsletters, engagement sessions and open days. Their approach shows few differences compared to practices on the Irish mainland. The waste collection team is open to new methods, especially when supported by an appropriate budget for implementation.
Significant progress has already been made in recycling paper, glass and organic waste on the island. What is still missing is a broader cultural shift towards choosing repair before buying new. As the E6 partners cycled away on their rented e-bikes, one clear message stayed with them. Repair and reuse of #EEE must come next.
