County Waterford, Ireland
Packaging Regulations 2007
Under the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 2007, all producers have important obligations for the recovery of packaging waste. The Regulations are designed to assist and promote the recycling of packaging waste, in order to facilitate the achievement by Ireland of the packaging waste recovery targets laid down in the EU Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste (the Packaging Directive).
Major Producers, for example those companies who place more than 10 tons of packaging waste onto the market and who have an annual turnover in excess of €1 million per annum, are obliged to comply with the 2007 Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations.
In order to comply with these regulations, Major Producers have two choices:
- The self-compliance approach.
- Become a member of a Government approved compliance scheme (Repak being the only government approved self-compliance scheme in the country at present).
Self-compliant major producers must do the following:
- Register with a local authority every year.
- Pay an annual fee. Provide detailed monthly statistics on types and quantities of packaging supplied from each of its premises. This information will be placed in the public domain.
- Accept used packaging of a similar type from any source and properly receive and segregate it.
- Display notices indicating that packaging waste is accepted, and when the recovery target has been reached, obtain permission from the local authority to display a further notice, stating that acceptance has been temporarily suspended for that month.
- Collect used packaging supplied to others.
- Packers/fillers must recover a minimum of 50% by weight of packaging supplied.
- Retailers must provide in-store facilities for customers to return packaging waste.
- Provide an annual report and make it available to the public.
Membership of Repak
To become a member of Repak companies must pay an annual fee.
Repak assumes responsibility on behalf of its members for the recovery and recycling of packaging waste up to the percentage of its members obligations.
Enforcing the Regulations
Policing of the 2007 Packaging Regulations is carried out by the council's enforcement team. Through visits and inspections, companies are encouraged to become members of Repak.
Waterford Council is pursuing a number of companies to determine compliance with the 2007 Packaging Regulations and is at present seeking legal advice regarding the investigations carried out so far.
All Enforcement Officers from all Local Authorities meet with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Environment on a regular basis to update progress on packaging enforcement.
If you have any queries regarding Packaging Regulations contact the Environment Section on 058 22000.
