Electrical recycling group WEEE Ireland is calling on Irish people to recycle their lightbulbs.

It has published findings which show that while 3.2 million lightbulbs were recycled in 2018, an estimated 10 million were sold.

The research, carried out by Empathy Research on behalf of WEEE Ireland, highlights that almost 40% Irish adults still dispose of used lightbulbs in their general waste.

As part of a 'Small Things Matter' campaign, they are reminding householders that energy saving lightbulbs, fluorescent tubes and their fittings can be recycled for free.

Irish householders and small businesses can recycle their waste lightbulbs by returning them to their local hardware store, bringing them to their local lighting store, or asking their lighting installer to return waste lightbulbs and lighting equipment to their wholesaler.

They can also bring them to their nearest local authority recycling centre.

An archive illustration from 2011 shows the lettering of Osram reflected in one of the company's lightbulbs in Straubing, Germany | Image: Armin Weigel/DPA/PA Images

Leo Donovan, CEO of WEEE Ireland, said: "Many people are making the change to LEDs for their home lighting.

"While Ireland is excellent at recycling waste household electrical goods and batteries, it is clear that when it comes to what to do with our old lightbulbs, we are still in the dark.

"Particularly surprising is the number of young people who don't recycle their lightbulbs - over one-third of 18-24 year-olds dispose of them in with their general rubbish, despite e-waste recycling being free and easy to do."

Jim Copeland is head of member relations for the Irish Hardware Association: "Batteries are the most commonly-recycled small electrical item in Ireland, with a collection point in almost every shop.

"We now want people to also associate their local hardware or lighting store with recycling their waste lightbulbs in the same way."

Mr Donovan also points out that electronic waste is recycled here in Ireland.

"We are very proud that 100% of waste lighting equipment returned is recycled here in Ireland, at our WEEElabex Certified partners Irish Lamp Recycling, Athy, Co Kildare."

More details, including an interactive map of recycling centres, can be found here