Electronic Recycling have been an active participant in the circular economy since 1997 specialising in the recycling of Computers as well as other IT equipment and secure data destruction
The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy (Full PDF) is Ireland’s new roadmap for waste planning and management. We need to embed climate action in all strands of public policy. This Plan shifts focus away from waste disposal and look instead to how we can preserve resources by creating a circular economy.
The Plan outlines the contribution of the sector to the achievement of a number of other national plans and policies including the Climate Action Plan. It also matches the level of ambition being shown across the European Union through the European Green Deal which encompasses a range of actions supporting circularity and sustainability.
The Plan sets out a range of aims and targets for the State and the measures by which these will be achieved, including increased regulation and measures across various waste areas such as Circular Economy, Municipal Waste, Consumer Protection & Citizen Engagement, Plastics and Packaging, Construction and Demolition, Textiles, Green Public Procurement and Waste Enforcement. It will be followed later this year by an All of Government Circular Economy Strategy.
A public consultation process on the new policy was completed in February 2020 with almost 300 responses received. A Waste Action Plan Advisory Group was also established, consisting of relevant stakeholders from the economic, environmental and social sectors. The Group will assist in the compilation of the new policy by guiding strategic thinking and decision making.
The key targets under the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy are:
Households and Businesses
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Recycling targets for waste collectors
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Standardised bin colours across the State: green for recycling, brown for organic waste and black for residual.
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Environmental levies- for waste recovery and single-use coffee cups to encourage recycling and reuse
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Waste oversight body to manage consumer rights
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Education and awareness campaign to improve waste segregation
Food Waste
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Halve our food waste by 2030
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Sustainable food waste management options for all homes and businesses
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Waste segregation infrastructure for apartment dwellers
Plastic, Packaging and Single-Use Plastic (SUP)
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Deposit and return scheme for plastic bottles and aluminium cans
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Single-Use Plastics ban, including cotton bud sticks, cutlery, plates, stirrers, chopsticks, straws, polystyrene containers and oxo-degradable plastic products from July 2021.
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Commitment to ban further products such as (but not limited to) Wet wipes (non-medical); SUP hotel toiletries; SUP sugar/sauce/mayonnaise etc. items.
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Reduce the number of SUPs being placed on the market by 2026
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
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Mandatory EPR for all packaging producers before 2024 EU deadline
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Producers liable for eco modulation of fees
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All packaging reusable or recyclable by 2030
Construction and Demolition Waste
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Revision of the 2006 Best Practice Guidelines for C&D waste
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Streamline by-product notification and end-of-waste decision-making processes
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Working group to develop national end-of-waste applications for priority waste streams
Textiles
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Textile action group to explore options to improve future circularity in textiles
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Work with Irish designers and retailers to promote eco-design for clothing and textiles
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Consider global impacts of the international trade in used textiles
Treatment
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Review State support for the development of recycling infrastructure
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Examine legislation and procedures for the development of waste management infrastructure
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Standardise waste streams accepted at civic amenity sites
Enforcement
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Expanded role for WERLAs to address priority waste enforcement challenges
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Unauthorised sites action plan and anti-dumping toolkit
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Fixed penalty notices for breaches of waste law
Government Leadership on Circular Economy
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High level All of Government Circular Economy Strategy
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Take the necessary steps to include green criteria and circular economy principles in all public procurement
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Develop Circular Economy Sectoral Roadmaps
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Explore how Ireland’s digital sector can accelerate the transition to a circular economy
