KMK Metal Recycling Achieve Weeelabex Certification
January 9, 2015
WEEE Ireland congratulates their contractor KMK as the first Irish WEEE Recycling facility to achieve this European Standard
Ireland among the leaders in setting recycling standard in Europe
PRESS RELEASE
WEEE Ireland are proud to announce that KMK Metal Recycling, WEEE Ireland’s largest contractor, have achieved the WEEELABEX certification for the responsible recycling of CRT (televisions and monitors containing cathode ray tubes) and Small Mixed WEEE. KMK are the first WEEE recycling facility in Ireland and the UK to achieve the standard. The WEEELABEX Standard, which stands for Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment Label of Excellence, is a European certification that sets standards and monitors the processing of Electrical Waste.
KMK are one of only 14 European organisations to achieve the WEEELABEX Standard and are leaders in this field, bringing new standards to WEEE recycling here in Ireland. WEEE Ireland, who are founding members of the WEEELABEX organisation, are delighted to support KMK in this achievement. KMK treat all of WEEE Ireland’s small mixed WEEE collection and are the major battery collection and sorting contractor for the scheme.
WEEE Ireland’s CEO Leo Donovan said of th achievement; “KMK have been an excellent recycling partner for WEEE Ireland ever since we started WEEE compliance back in 2005. They have provided a quality recycling service at a competitive price. WEEE Ireland, as a former Board member of the WEEE Forum, have been instrumental in the initiation design and implementation of the new WEEELABEX standard and we are so proud that KMK has been able to achieve this very demanding standard. Ireland and the Netherlands are the only European countries who now require the WEEELABEX standard for recyclers of e-waste and we are pleased to lead the way not only here in Ireland but in Europe as well.”
KMK is authorised to accept into its facility 35,000 tonnes of waste. In 2014 KMK managed ca. 26,000 tonnes of electrical waste. This figure represents ca. 190,000 large white goods (washing machines etc), over 100,000 fridges, some 280,000 televisions and over 1,000,000 small household appliances. Since January 2010, the number of employees at the facility has increased from approximately 40 in 2010 to almost 75 in 2014.
KMK Compliance Manager Amy Jackson said; “We are delighted to be the first Irish facility to acquire the WEEELABEX certification. This is not just an achievement for us but also for Ireland – Ireland, Holland and France are the leading European countries who require the WEEELABEX standard for recyclers of e-waste and we are pleased to lead the way not only here in Ireland but in Europe as well.”
Based in the Cappincur Industrial Estate in Tullamore, KMK was established in 1979 and set up a metals recycling facility in Tullamore in 1985, employing six people at first.
Over the years the company and facilities have expanded to become a significant purpose-built metals recycling facility incorporating 12,891 square metres of warehouses, process buildings and external areas for logistics, weighbridges and parking – all of which is constructed to the highest level of environmental integrity. In 2001, the company achieved its first EPA Waste Management licence which has progressed with time to the current 4th revision (EPA Licence W0113-4), incorporating all current environmental and planning legislation.
For more information on KMK please visit www.kmk.ie
ABOUT WEEELABEX:
The 2012 recast WEEE Directive (2012/19/EU) encouraged Member States to introduce standards for harmonising and improving the quality of WEEE recycling and treatment across Europe. To date Ireland and the Netherlands have introduced mandatory requirements for treatment of separately collected waste electrical equipment to WEEELABEX or other EN standard. The established of the WEEELABEX standard has paved the way for the development of EN 50625 which will replace WEEELABEX as the industry-recycling standard in coming years. Other EN standards in relation to collection and preparation for reuse of WEEE material are also in development. CENELEC (www.cenelec.eu) is the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization and is responsible for standardisation in the electrotechnical engineering field.