Thurles Information

• Ireland is predicted to miss targets for recycling municipal and packaging waste for 2025.
• An additional 400,000 tonnes of recycling is needed to reach our targets.
• Packaging waste generation has increased almost four times faster than recycling since 2016.
• Plastic packaging recycling rate is just 30 per cent, significantly below the required target for 2025 of 50 per cent.
• Construction waste is Ireland’s largest waste stream, reaching nine million tonnes in 2023.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published its latest data on municipal, packaging and construction and demolition waste for the 2023 reporting year. EPA data shows that in 2023:

• Ireland’s municipal recycling rate is 42 per cent, significantly below the 55 per cent target.
• Ireland’s packaging waste recycling rate is 59 per cent and the 65 per cent target is at risk.
• Ireland’s plastic packaging recycling rate is 30 per cent, significantly off the 50 per cent target.

While 1.3 million tonnes of municipal waste were recycled, this represents no improvement in recycling rates over the past decade. Investment in waste infrastructure is needed to reduce our reliance on overseas facilities with 1.2 million tonnes of municipal waste exported in 2023.

Opportunities to reduce, reuse and recycle valuable materials and resources are also being missed. Packaging waste generation is excessive, and our rate of waste generation is increasing more than we are increasing recycling capacity.

It is now almost certain that mandatory recycling targets that apply from 2025 will be missed.

Commenting, Mr David Flynn, Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Sustainability, EPA said:
“Ireland’s waste generation is too high. Our report highlights that Ireland needs to make measurable progress on stalled recycling rates and reduce overall consumption. Ireland needs to recycle 400,000 more tonnes of waste each year than we currently do. To address this we need investment in recycling infrastructure and to stop exporting a significant amount of our municipal waste to other countries.”

Construction is the most wasteful sector with nine million tonnes of construction waste generated in 2023. As the industry grows, companies need to urgently prevent waste and maximise the use of recycled and recyclable products.

Commenting, Mr Warren Phelan, Programme Manager of the EPA’s Circular Economy Programme said:
“Ireland’s economy uses significant raw materials producing valuable products and materials – but also lots of waste. If we are serious about moving to an economy which values resources and materials, we need to support innovation for low waste businesses as well as lean production, remanufacturing and circular supply chains. Materials and wastes are a cost to businesses, we need to value and retain materials, and our policies must incentivise circular businesses.”

The EPA’s national waste statistics are published on the EPA website HERE where more information on all of the waste streams is now available.