COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, July 10, 2017

MOTION NO.10

MOTION: Councillor R. Nolan

That this Council adapts Container-deposit legislation as a pilot scheme, on plastic bottles and aluminium cans, to encourage recycling and less litter. When the container is returned to a reverse vending machine or where purchased, or authorised redemption centre,  the method to be decided, the deposit is refunded.

REPORT:

Repak is the approved producer responsibility compliance scheme for packaging in Ireland and is tasked with meeting recovery and recycling targets established under the EU Packaging Directive (94/62/EC). The most recent Waste Packaging Statistics for Ireland published by the EPA in May 2016 show that that Ireland has met and exceeded the overall packaging waste recovery rate and the recycling rate targets since they came into force.

In July 2014, the then Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government published a Review of the Producer Responsibility Initiative Model in Ireland. The aim of the review was to assess the nature and level of the challenges which are currently facing the existing Producer Responsibility Agreements, as well as the forthcoming challenges that are expected to arise in the management of various waste streams. A stakeholder consultation process was also conducted. As part of that review, consideration was given to the introduction of a bring back scheme for waste. The review report did not recommend the introduction of a Deposit and Refund scheme and concluded that to establish such a scheme was not required, in view of the operation of the existing packaging scheme (operated by Repak), and policies concerning household waste collection, plus the high administrative costs of introducing such a system.  

More recently, a private members Bill (Waste Reduction Bill 2017), to introduce a recycling deposit scheme for bottles and cans, and to eventually ban single-use, non-recyclable plastics in food and drink outlets has been published and has progressed to second stage debate.

The concept of a Deposit Refund Scheme for recyclables may be considered by the Environment SPC as part of the 2018 Programme of Works.