Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 September 2025
225. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to provide further detail on the review being undertaken by his Department of extended producer responsibility and the producer responsibility initiatives for the WEEE and batteries sectors; and to outline the scope, objectives and expected timeline for the completion of this review. [52126/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is conducting a review of the performance of the WEEE and Batteries extended producer responsibility sector. The review is intended to ensure that the producer responsibility organisations (PROs) are contributing effectively to Ireland's transition to a circular economy. The review will assess their performance and examine the experience of having competition in the compliance sector.
At present, any PRO may apply to operate the EPR scheme subject to assessment by the Department. The presence of more than one PRO means that producers have a choice as to their compliance option, while collections of WEEE and waste batteries are managed on the basis of a geographical split.
The review will consider whether the operation of more than one PRO makes a net positive contribution towards circularity in the management of WEEE and waste batteries.
The Department will assess the operating models of the two PROs to ensure that they are performing optimally with respect to, inter alia, target achievement, quality of compliance solution offering, the value of competition and choice, and the transition to a Circular Economy.
The review will take account of the views of the PROs, and the views of the wider producer and waste management sector will be invited through a consultation process. The review is scheduled to conclude in summer 2027.
