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"Ireland has made great strides in not just meeting,
but exceeding EU targets for packaging waste recycling over
the past ten years - but there is no room for complacency."
This was the message from Mr. Tony Killeen, TD, Minister
of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and
Local Government, when he addressed the Repak Service Providers
Conference in Naas in Co. Kildare.
Progress
Minister Killeen commented - "the recycling of packaging
waste is probably the leading Irish environmental success
story. For the past number of years, Ireland has consistently
exceeded EU and national targets for the recovery and recycling
of this waste stream. Indeed, the most recent National
Waste Report published by the EPA in January of this year
in respect of 2006 (Click
Here), shows that, in that year, we recovered over
57% of packaging waste."
The Minister acknowledged that the progress in recycling
that has been achieved had been a collective effort. "Our
success in this area is underpinned by a partnership approach,
where all the stakeholders play their part - Repak and its
members, local authorities, private sector waste operators,
business, householders and the Department."
Challenge
The Minister invited industry to take the necessary steps
to meet new higher recovery targets that apply from 2008.
"Achieving our targets in the face of unprecedented growth
will mean that we all have to work even harder than before
to build on the progress that we have made over the past decade.
I remain confident that, by continuing to work together, we
can achieve this objective."
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