Rise in recycling rates needed to meet 2030 target - EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency is predicting that a very substantial increase in the rate of recycling of municipal waste will be required for Ireland to achieve its 2030 recycling target.

Currently Ireland produces about 3.2 million tonnes of municipal waste per year.

This includes household and non-household waste from homes, offices, businesses and schools.

About 42%, or 1.35 million tonnes, of that is recovered and recycled into products, materials and other useful substances.

However, an econometric forecasting model used by the EPA suggests an additional 500,000 tonnes of recycling will be required by 2030 to achieve Ireland's municipal waste recycling target of 60%.

In the absence of waste reduction, this means a 37% increase in the volume of municipal recycling activity is required between now and 2030.

The EPA stresses this will be difficult to achieve because recycling rates in Ireland are on course to remain largely stagnant while waste continues to grow.

It is calling for policy interventions by the Government to increase the rate of recycling and reduce the level of waste generated.

Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Sustainability, David Flynn, said the priority now is "to implement policy measures in the Government’s Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy, delivering the practical circular economy solutions to incentivise waste prevention and better material recovery along the full supply chain."

In addition to municipal waste, Ireland also has a separate EU target for recycling packaging waste.

This is made up of the cardboard, paper, plastic, and glass that protect products during transport, keeps them fresh, and provides product information.

Currently Ireland produces about 1.2 million tonnes of packaging waste per year. About 62% of it is recycled.

The target is to increase this recycling rate to 70% by 2030.

The EPA forecasts imply that the recycling rate for packaging will increase modestly between now and 2030, but not by enough to meet the 70% target.