EcoTrashShip: Transforming Yesterday’s E-Waste into Tomorrow’s Space Exploration

The European Recycling Platform (ERP), Ireland’s only pan-European compliance scheme for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Waste Batteries continues their Sustainability Partnership with St. Patrick’s Festival, coinciding with their 20th anniversary in Ireland. ERP, in collaboration with artist group FORJA Works, has created a WEEE-inspired installation entitled ‘EcoTrashShip’ that will take festivalgoers on a mission to reduce electrical waste on Earth while reaching for the stars! With research showing that 1 in 3 people are hoarding unused or broken electrical items in their homes, ERP is encouraging everyone to Go Green and Boldy Recycle their electrical waste.

EcoTrashShip

The ERP ‘EcoTrashShip’ is a fun, space-themed installation that stands over 16 feet tall, is fully solar powered, and is composed of more than 100 electrical items, such as TVs, laptops, phones, and cables, which are some of the most frequently recycled electrical items in Ireland. Research conducted by Coyne Research in January 2025 revealed that 1 in 5 (20%)  people in Ireland recycled old TVs in the past 12 months, 1 in 6 (17%) recycled old mobile phones, and 1 in 8 (13%) recycled old laptops. Since the WEEE Directive was launched in Ireland in 2005, ERP has collected almost 220,000 tonnes of WEEE, and 4,500 tonnes of batteries in Ireland – that’s 480 times the weight of the International Space Station!

This year’s St. Patrick’s Festival theme, Adventures (Eachtraí), celebrates the adventurous spirit that defines Irish culture. The ERP ‘EcoTrashShip’ aligns with this spirit by blending art and activism, aiming to inspire change and highlights ERP’s commitment to a circular future where nothing goes to waste.

James Burgess, Country General Manager of ERP Ireland said: “What if your old kettle, laptop, or hairdryer became part of a spaceship? When you recycle your electrical waste, these products are broken down, and the materials can be reused. Every wire, chip, and circuit in this spaceship has had a past life— from the gadgets we’ve outgrown to the stars we dream of — the EcoTrashShip is transforming everyday waste into something extraordinary.

We are excited to be working with St. Patrick’s Festival again this year to join them on eco-friendly adventure! We hope our EcoTrashShip will inspire the thousands of visitors in Dublin over the weekend to join our mission to Go Green and Boldly Recycle their old and broken electrical items!”

Richard Tierney, CEO of St. Patrick’s Festival said: “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the European Recycling Platform for a second year, building on the success of our collaboration in promoting sustainability. Last year, the Trash Mammoth captured imaginations and sparked vital conversations about responsible recycling. This year, it has evolved into the EcoTrashShip—taking our mission to new heights and inspiring even more communities to embrace sustainable practices. Sustainability remains at the heart of our organisation, and by working with the European Recycling Platform, we can continue leading the way toward a greener future.”

FORJA Works ensure a circular construction process; the spaceship will be disassembled after the weekend and all materials re-purposed for future art projects. This approach transforms discarded technological components into functional and artistic materials, promoting sustainability while addressing the growing challenge of e-waste.

Photo Caption:

Pictured are Sienna Lavery (11), Freya Lavery (7), and Ethan Holmes (11) as ERP Ireland’s EcoTrashShip blasts off at St. Patrick’s Festival this weekend. Transforming yesterday’s e-waste into tomorrow’s exploration, EcoTrashShip is made from over 100 electrical items and stands at 16 feet tall. Its mission is to reduce waste on Earth while reaching for the stars! The installation will be on display at St. Patrick’s Park, Dublin 8, on 15th and 16th March from 11am to 5pm.

About ERP
European Recycling Platform (ERP) was founded in 2002 in response to the introduction of the European Union’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive. ERP’s mission is to ensure high-quality and cost-effective implementation of the WEEE, batteries and packaging directives, for the benefit of its customers and the environment.

In June 2014, ERP joined Landbell Group, a global platform for extended producer responsibility. ERP and Landbell Group have collected almost 8.5 million tonnes of packaging, almost 5 million tonnes of e-waste, and over 122,000 tonnes of portable batteries.
ERP operates 43 producer responsibility organisations in 18 countries including – Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, and the UK. By passing on the advantages of multinational recycling operations to customers, ERP has proved to be a competitive solution for companies in the countries where it operates for WEEE, batteries, packaging and textile compliance, as well as take-back services.

European Recycling Platform Ireland DAC was established in 2005 because of the success and expansion of ERP across Europe, providing WEEE and Waste Battery compliance and a B2B service to members.

For more information on ERP, please visit: www.erp-recycling.ie

About St. Patrick’s Festival

St. Patrick’s Festival is Ireland’s official celebration of our national holiday, St. Patrick’s Day. Its origins lie in honouring Ireland’s patron saint, St. Patrick. Initially, it was a solemn commemorative feast day dedicated to paying tribute to the saint, but over the years, St. Patrick’s Day has evolved into a vibrant celebration encompassing the richness of Irish culture.

Today, it is a joyful occasion marked by parades, performances, and diverse expressions of Irish heritage; a multicultural international event that is committed to displaying contemporary and traditional arts, culture and heritage of the Irish people and the people who call Ireland home.
Established in 1996, St. Patrick’s Festival has grown from a single-day to a four-day event featuring music, performance, spectacle, dance, theatre, literature, visual arts, food, wellness, community activations and much more. It is recognised globally as one of the world’s biggest festivals, with a global reach of over 1 billion people in 2024.

The Festival is a key driver for the tourism industry, presenting a world class event that showcases the very best of Irishness and Ireland as a destination, platforming our incredible unique culture, heritage and traditions to a global audience through quality experiences.
St. Patrick’s Festival continues to be a key driver of employment and opportunity for the creative sector, providing over 10,000 days of employment in 2024. The 2025 Festival will continue to provide these opportunities, driving employment through direct investment in these vital industries that uplift Ireland across the world.

The Festival team is made up of many of Ireland’s most experienced professional artists, arts workers, creatives and live events workers, in support of a small core team who work throughout the year planning St. Patrick’s Festival and the Parade. Year on year, St. Patrick’s Festival employs thousands of Irish artists, arts workers, arts organisations, live events workers, community workers and volunteers. St. Patrick’s Festival is an independent not-for-profit organisation with charity status, governed by a Board of Directors under the patronage of the President of Ireland.

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