Repak has commended Mayo for its contribution in helping to develop packaging recycling from the equivalent of 2,985 tonnes to 19,263 in 2011, and urges all householders and businesses in Mayo to continue to build on its successful track record of packaging recycling in 2012.
As Repak Recycling Week 2012 takes place from October 1 to 7, Repak celebrates 15 years of supporting packaging recycling. In this time Ireland has expanded packaging recycling from 101,000 a year to over 650,000 tonnes a year in 2012. This week will see Repak recognise Mayo’s continued contribution to helping it achieve the recovery of 652,000 tonnes in total of used packaging in 2011 (up by 4.1 per cent from 2010 ) - 89 per cent of this was recycled and 11 per cent was recovered.
Repak and Alupro also launch Every Can Counts (http://www.everycancounts.ie/ ), a major new nationwide recycling programme for used drinks cans which promotes beverage can recycling at work, on campus, and on the go.
This year alone, Mayo has contributed the equivalent of 6,906,830 cans, 9,486,116 glass bottles, 18,523,060 plastic bottles, 36,307,416 plastic refuse sacks, 22,884,988 steel food cans, 641,791,779 cereal boxes, and 2,313,358 beverage cartons.
“Thanks to Mayo’s help and contribution, packaging recycling has not only grown, but is now the most successful scheme in Ireland,” said Dr Andrew Hetherington, CEO Repak. “If it was not for Mayo’s continued support, packaging recycling would not be in such rude health. However, with proposed changes on the horizon, we need to make sure that the consumer does not get weighed down with an unnecessary tax or more complicated procedures to recycle, that would put a further burden on producers or businesses who have played their part in our recycling success.”
Visit Repak.ie or Recyclemore.ie to find out more about Repak Recycling Week.
