Global Recycling Day takes place on the 18th of March every year since 2018. The goal of the Day is to get people to think of recycling as the world’s ‘seventh resource’. All-natural resources need to be protected and recycling our used products into something new and reusable is an important way to use our recycling as a resource.
In September 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its latest figures on packaging waste in Ireland, which are pre-pandemic 2019. They indicate that Ireland generated over 1.1 million tonnes of packaging waste in 2019, up 11 per cent in 2018 – the third year in a row that packaging waste in Ireland has exceeded one million tonnes.
Less than a third (28 per cent) of Ireland’s plastic packaging waste was recycled in 2019, while the share of plastic packaging that Ireland incinerates has grown year-on-year and now stands at 69 per cent.
The data indicate the increase in plastic packaging recycled is offset by an even greater increase in the amounts of packaging waste being generated and incinerated and, as a result, Ireland’s recycling rates have shown a generally declining trend since 2013.
The EPA warns the gap between national recycling rates and EU targets was growing. Half of the plastic packaging is to be recycled by 2025, for example, but the current rate here is only 28pc and falling.
‘We need to rethink how we make, transport, and use products, cutting down on unnecessary packaging and maximising reuse and recycling.’
Recycling is a key part of the circular economy, helping to protect our natural resources. We all know recycling is good for the environment, but it can get a little confusing sometimes. We hear questions often asked about recycling, for example, “Is this recyclable?” Do I need to rinse before I recycle? Is meat compostable? So, we’ve put together a list of do’s and don’ts to help you when recycling! Check out our ‘Top 10 Recycling Tips’ here.
We love to recycle!
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