Ireland Needs 500,000 Tonnes More Recycling by 2030 to Meet 60% Target
Ireland's EPA states an additional 500,000 tonnes of municipal waste recycling is needed by 2030 to meet the 60% target. Current recycling rates are stagnant, while waste grows, making the 37% increase challenging. Policy interventions are also required to meet the 70% packaging waste recycling target.
Ireland must increase municipal waste recycling by 500,000 tonnes by 2030 to meet its 60% target, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This represents a 37% increase in recycling activity from current levels.
Currently, Ireland produces 3.2 million tonnes of municipal waste annually, with 42% (1.35 million tonnes) recycled. The EPA warns that achieving the 60% target will be challenging as recycling rates are stagnant while waste generation continues to grow. David Flynn, Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Sustainability, emphasized the need to implement policy measures from the Government’s Circular Economy Strategy to incentivize waste prevention and improve material recovery.
Additionally, Ireland has an EU target to recycle 70% of packaging waste by 2030. Of the 1.2 million tonnes of packaging waste produced annually, 62% is currently recycled. The EPA forecasts a modest increase in packaging recycling, but not enough to reach the 70% target.