Aluminium, copper, lithium, nickel - Europe’s e-waste mountain now hides one million tonnes of these critical raw materials every year. Half of consumers in Ireland don’t realise the materials in their old electrical and electronic appliances contain critical raw materials. Aluminium, copper, lithium, nickel - Europe’s e-waste mountain now hides one million tonnes of these critical raw materials every year. This is leaving a hidden hoard of critical raw materials gathering dust. With the Critical Raw Materials Act (2024) the EU has set a benchmark that a quarter of annual demand for critical materials is met by recycling by 2030.

Source: The Irish Times December 29, 2025 06:11 UTC