Ireland exceeds recycling targets
The news that Ireland has far exceeded EU targets for the recycling of packaging waste shows once again that the emerald Isle is proving itself to be green in more ways than one.
Since it introduced a charge for plastic bags in 2002, Ireland saw their use plummet by 94% in a matter of weeks. This led to a noticable reduction in littering, and has set a precedent for other countries to follow suit. The news that recycling targets have been far exceeded is another sign that Ireland certainly sets a standard that should nudge the EU to pull its socks up on the green front.
[Via Sustainable is Good]
Tony Killeen, Minister of State at the Environment Department told attendees of the 2008 Repak Service Providers Conference, "The recycling of packaging waste is probably the leading Irish environmental success story."
"For the past number of years, Ireland has consistently exceeded EU and national targets for recovery and recycling of this waste stream."
Figures from the Irish Environmental Protection Agency show that in 2005, 64% of packaging waste was recovered against a target of 50%
