Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 October 2025
153. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the breakdown of the recycling that Ireland exported in each of the years 2020 to 2025; the measures he is taking to reduce this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56256/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe waste management industry in Ireland remains reliant, in part, on the export market to meet its processing needs for waste packaging produced here. Given the volume and grade of material collected, this is mostly recycled abroad for reasons of economic viability.
Notwithstanding these constraints, a number of measures are planned or underway which will boost recycling rates and make recycling on the island a more attractive proposition for investors.
These measures include:
• The recent introduction of our national Deposit and Return Scheme which is already delivering a separate high-quality stream of PET for recycling.
• Requirements for recycled content in all packaging under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and for PET bottles specifically (under the Single Use Plastics Directive), which should increase demand for quality recyclate.
• Requirements for harmonised labelling, and design-for-recycling criteria, under the PPWR, which should further help in the correct segregation and easier post-consumer treatment of plastic waste.
In keeping with the polluter pays principle, Extended Producer Responsibility schemes have a key role in meeting national collection and recycling targets and also in supporting investment to ensure that as much as possible can be recycled and recovered domestically. Both Re-Turn and Repak are working with investors to maximise the recycling of all types of plastic packaging here.
In addition, changes in the recently revised Waste Shipment Regulation will ensure a more level playing field in the EU plastic recycling market for EU operators. After 21 May 2029, plastic packaging waste can be exported for recycling to non-OECD countries only if those countries have proven to the European Commission that they can manage such waste to an environmental standard equivalent to EU recyclers.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the competent authority for the collation of national waste statistics and reports annually on Ireland’s performance against a range of European waste directive and regulations, as well as waste exports. These are used for reporting on Ireland’s performance in meeting its legal obligations, for policy and waste management planning purposes and to inform the general public. This data is available at the EPA website: www.epa.ie/our-services/monitoring--assessment/waste/national-waste-statistics/.
