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[Press Release: December 20th, 2007] Burrell Welcomes New Regulations To Improve National Packaging Waste Recycling Performance"Recycling rates for packaging have soared over the past decade. I am confident that we can build on the progress made through achieving higher recycling rates, but we also need to tackle the high levels of packaging waste being generated and deal effectively with litter from packaging, such as cans and bottles", so said Mr. John Gormley, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government today.Speaking at the launch of the Repak's Green Christmas recycling campaign, supported by his Department under the Race Against Waste campaign, and a new carbon calculator devised by Repak, the Minister announced that he had recently signed the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 2007. The Minister also announced that he was extending Repak's approval under the Regulations to the end of 2011. "The recycling phenomenon in Ireland has been ably supported by industry and local authorities. Repak, the packaging waste producer responsibility scheme, is an excellent example of the polluter pays principle in action. I am pleased with the Minister's announcement that he is renewing Repak's approval today under the new Regulations and look forward to the scheme continuing to support progress on packaging waste in the years ahead. I would have concerns that more producers of significant amounts of packaging pay their way and under these new Regulations that objective has now been achieved" said Green Party Cllr. Caroline Burrell. Under the new consolidated Regulations, producers, i.e. those who place packaging on the market in Ireland, are required to take back packaging, and achieve targets for recovering and recycling that waste, or else join an approved scheme established to support packaging waste recovery and recycling. Currently, Repak is the only such scheme and is charged with achieving national targets for packaging waste recovery and recycling. "Recovery and recycling rates have reached very high levels by European standards - by 2005 recovery of packaging waste was close to 60% compared with just 15% a decade ago", Cllr. Burrell noted. "We are exceeding EU targets in this area but we need to do more. I am concerned that we should tackle the amount of packaging placed on the market and the retial sector has been recently challenged to look at voluntary measures,similar to those already being put in place by many chains in the UK, to reduce the amount of packaging on shelves in supermarkets. I believe that will be good for everybody - good for business, good for consumers and good for the environment". The Minister also spoke of the need to tackle litter from packaging. "Discarded cans and bottles are an ongoing problem and we need to look at all options for tackling this problem. I am undertaking a major review of waste policy in the months ahead and as part of that process, we will see whether a refundable deposit for bottles, cans and other drinks containers would bring a net benefit to the litter reduction and recycling arrangements already in place in this country. In the meantime I have asked industry to develop voluntary initiatives to reduce litter from packaging". "I am confident that these new Regulations provide the platform for achieving even higher packaging waste recovery and recycling rates in the years ahead. With everyone's continued support - including the great recycling effort being made by householders up and down the country - we can achieve results in packaging waste that will put Ireland to the forefront of best practice internationally", stated Cllr. Burrell. The Regulations consolidate the existing suite of regulations and introduce a range of new measures that will bring further improvements to arrangements for the recovery and recycling of packaging waste in Ireland. The provisions of the Regulations are summarised in the attached appendix and the new producer responsibility requirements come into effect from 31st March 2008. The amendments to the Packaging Regulations are based on unanimous recommendations made by the National Strategy Group on Packaging Waste Recycling, comprised of the key public and private sector stakeholders.
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