Join Team Green and increase plastic recycling

Teamwork makes Ireland’s future recycling targets achievable! Over 11.4 million more pieces of plastic have been recycled in Ireland since Repak launched Team Green

• Team Green, powered by Repak, was founded to support Ireland in achieving its new recycling targets which have been set by the European Commission
• Ireland needs to increase its plastic recycling by almost double to achieve these new targets
• To date, almost 3,000 individuals have pledged their support to Team Green
• Former All Ireland Camogie winning champion Anna Geary is the newest member of Team Green, joining high profile personalities Paul and Gary O’Donovan, Paul McGrath; Roz Purcell and businessman Bobby Kerr as they lead the charge to increase recycling in Ireland
• If everyone in Ireland recycled an extra 2 litre milk bottle a week, it would generate an additional 9,492 tonnes of plastic recycling, enough to fill almost a quarter of the Aviva Stadium

They say that when it comes to working together, teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success. Perhaps there has never been a truer word spoken about recycling, as according to new data released by Repak, an additional 11 million more pieces of plastic have been recycled by the Irish public since the not for profit recycling scheme launched Team Green.

To date, almost 3,000 individuals have pledged their support to Team Green. Ireland currently recycles 33% of all plastics, higher than most EU countries, but that figure needs to raise to 55% by 2030 to meet EU targets. While Ireland is one of the most successful countries for packaging recycling over the last two decades, the public need to continue improving their recycling habits to ensure that Ireland continues to be a packaging recycling leader in Europe.

If everyone in Ireland fulfilled Team Green’s pledge to recycle one more piece of plastic a week, 250 million more items of plastic would be recycled a year, and Ireland’s plastic recycling rates would increase by 2% annually. For more information on how you can pledge your support to Team Green, visit Repak’s Team Green webpage, Repak Recycling on Facebook and @repakrecycling on Twitter or Instagram.

The new environmental champion on the block!

Joining the Irish personalities leading the charge to increase Ireland’s recycling rates today, is former All Ireland Cork camogie winning champion and teamwork advocate, Anna Geary. Anna has vast experience working as part of a team and since joining Repak’s Team Green, has not only committed to recycling one more piece of plastic a week, but has also made a conscious effort to educate herself on how to recycle better. By making sure that she places all recyclable items clean, loose and dry into the recycling bin, Anna is getting behind the drive to increase Ireland’s recycling.

Anna joins Team Green members and Olympic medallists Paul and Gary O’Donovan, bestselling author and entrepreneur Roz Purcell, soccer legend Paul McGrath and businessman Bobby Kerr as they continue to better their waste management behaviour and recycle correctly.

Commenting on the importance of joining Team Green and recycling more, CEO of Repak, Séamus Clancy said:

‘I am delighted that nearly 3,000 individuals have joined Team Green since we introduced our initiative to the public last September. Since then the pledge to recycle one more piece of plastic a week has resulted in plastic recycling increasing by an additional 11.4 million pieces in such a short period. 11.4 million additional pieces of plastic is a great start on our journey to reaching our plastic recycling targets.

To those who have already signed up to Team Green, I thank you in taking measures to address one of the environmental issues facing modern Ireland. Two weeks ago, the Irish government declared a climate and biodiversity emergency. Recycling more plastic not only supports Ireland in reaching its future recycling targets but will also reduce CO2 emissions and help to preserve our planet too.

To those households and commercial businesses in Ireland who have not yet signed up to Team Green, I hope you will join us in showing your support for a greener Ireland. By joining Team Green and becoming an environmental champion, you will be playing a key role in protecting our planet now and into the future.’

The public can make simple changes to their recycling habits which will make a big difference to Ireland’s environment. You can make a big difference by:

• Recycling one extra piece of plastic a week, which would result in 250 million more items being recycled a year. This would increase plastic recycling nationwide by 2% year on year, helping Ireland achieve the 55% target by 2030
• By washing, drying and putting your recyclable items loosely in the recycling bin, recycling bin contamination would be reduced in Ireland by 35%
• If everyone in Ireland recycled an extra 2 litre milk bottle a week, it would generate an additional 9,492 tonnes of plastic recycling, enough to fill almost a quarter of the Aviva Stadium
• If everyone in Ireland recycled another 500ml drinks bottle a week, it would generate 4,247 tonnes of plastic recycling
• If everyone in Ireland recycled one extra yoghurt pot a week, it would generate an additional 1,449 tonnes of plastic recycling
• Ensuring you are familiar with what items can and cannot go into the recycling bin by checking repak.ie.

To join Team Green, powered by Repak, visit repak.ie/teamgreen