The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published its latest data on municipal, packaging and construction and demolition waste for the 2023 reporting year. EPA data shows that in 2023

  • Ireland’s municipal recycling rate is 42%, significantly below the 55% target;
  • Ireland’s packaging waste recycling rate is 59% and the 65% target is at risk;
  • Ireland’s plastic packaging recycling rate is 30%, significantly off the 50% target.

Opportunities to reduce, reuse and recycle valuable materials and resources are also being missed. Packaging waste generation is excessive, and our rate of waste generation is increasing more than we are increasing recycling capacity.

It is now almost certain that mandatory recycling targets that apply from 2025 will be missed.

David Flynn, director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Sustainability EPA, said: “Ireland’s waste generation is too high. Our report highlights that Ireland needs to make measurable progress on stalled recycling rates and reduce overall consumption.

Investment in recycling infrastructure

"Ireland needs to recycle 400,000 more tonnes of waste each year than we currently do. To address this we need investment in recycling infrastructure and to stop exporting a significant amount of our municipal waste to other countries.”

Construction is the most wasteful sector with nine million tonnes of construction waste generated in 2023. As the industry grows, companies need to urgently prevent waste and maximise the use of recycled and recyclable products.

Warren Phelan, programme manager of the EPA’s Circular Economy Programme, said: “Ireland’s economy uses significant raw materials producing valuable products and materials – but also lots of waste.

"If we are serious about moving to an economy which values resources and materials, we need to support innovation for low waste businesses as well as lean production, re-manufacturing and circular supply chains. Materials and wastes are a cost to businesses, we need to value and retain materials, and our policies must incentivise circular businesses.”