Recycling Targets

As Ireland’s only compliance scheme for packaging recycling, over the past 20 years Repak has helped Ireland not only consistently achieve its EU recycling targets for the five main materials but significantly exceed all of these targets. We work closely with our Members, Recovery Operators, Government and Local Authorities nationwide, to drive best practice in waste management and to encourage everyone to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Recycling and Recovery Statistics 2019

In June 2020, we announced that Ireland had surpassed every recycling and recovery target set for it by the European Union, for the twenty-second year in a row*, with recycling rates as follows:

• Plastic at 35% (EU target 22.5%)
• Paper at 82% (EU target 60%)
• Metals at 85% (EU target 50%)
• Glass at 78% (EU target: 60%)
• Wood at 81% (EU target 15%)

In total in 2019*, Repak funded the recovery and recycling of over 1 million tonnes of packaging waste, an increase of 104k tonnes on 2018 (11.5% increase) and the highest volume recorded ever in Ireland (*subject to verifcation by the EPA).

The Plastics Challenge

While Ireland is exceeding the current EU recycling target of 22.5% for plastics, with an estimated recycling rate of 35% in 2019, we must meet ambitious targets for plastics recycling of 50% in 2025 and 55% in 2030 under the Circular Economy and EU Legislation.

The table below details Plastic Packaging Waste managed in Ireland in 2019, showing that the percentage recycled was 35%.