Waste Packaging
Under the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 2007 all producers have important obligations for the recovery of packaging waste.
These Regulations are designed to assist and promote the recycling of packaging waste in order to facilitate the achievement of the packaging waste recovery targets set for Ireland in EU Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste.
How do the Regulations apply to your business?
The Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations, 2007 impose certain obligations on all ‘producers’ of packaging and additional obligations on ‘major producers’
- ‘Producers’ of packaging are people who in the course of business supply to others packaging material e.g. shops, pubs, supermarkets, fast-food outlets, wholesalers, manufactures, importers, exporters (both Repak and non-Repak members). All such are referred to as ‘producers’ of packaging.
- ‘Major Producers’ of packaging are suppliers who annually place more than 10 tonnes of packaging (other than packaging for reuse or export) on the Irish market and have an annual turnover of more than €1million (‘Turnover’ for the purpose of these Regulations means "the amounts derived from the provision (including exports) of goods and services falling within the producers ordinary activities after deduction of trade discounts and VAT".)
- Packaging includes the primary packaging on the product sold. If you are asked to produce a packaging report identifying packaging used you must calculate packaging weights.
As pubs and restaurants now fall under the scope of the Regulations, they must be able to estimate the weight of packaging consumed on the premises.
As a major producer, if you exceed 10 tonnes annually which equates to approximately 200kg of packaging a week, you have specific obligations. You may wish to seek the assistance of a consultant to prepare such a report.
All producers participating in the placing of packaging on the market must segregate the packaging waste arising on their own premises (back-door packaging waste) into specified waste streams e.g. waste glass, paper, aluminum, steel, fiberboard, wood and plastic sheeting. An exemption is provided for ‘contaminated’ waste.
Packaging sold and consumed on a producers premises also comes within the scopes of the Regulations. Bottles sold and consumed in pubs, restaurants, clubs and hotels are now subject to the requirements of the Regulations.
A producer must arrange to have waste:
taken back by a supplier, or
- recovered, or
- segregated and made available for recovery by an authorised waste recovery operator.
It is an offence for a producer to dispose of such packaging waste without first making it available for recovery.
Further information is available in the document below - this document provides an outline of the Regulations -it does not purport to provide a legal interpretation of the meaning or effects of the Regulations. If you need further information please contact us.
Registration Forms - Waste Management (Packaging)
Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations
Packaging Regulations Information Leaflet doc, 186kb
Registration Forms - Waste Management (Packaging)
A Guide to the Preparation of a Packaging Report doc, 210kb
A Guide to the Preparation of a Three Year Plan doc, 186kb
Application Form for a Major Producer for Initial Registration for Waste Management of Packaging doc, 219kb
Application Form for a Major Producer for Renewal of Registration for Waste Management of Packaging doc, 363kb
Quarterly Summary Packaging Report
The details of the form below for the quarter given above must be completed and returned to Meath County Council within ten days of the end of each quarterly period.
Quarterly Summary Packaging Report Form doc, 274kb
