Who is Repak?
Repak is a not-for-profit, members based, packaging compliance scheme, and is Ireland’s first producer responsibility organisation. It was established under a voluntary agreement between industry and the Department of the Environment and Local Government in 1997.
Why was Repak set up?
With the introduction of legislation such as the Waste Management Act 1996 and the EU directive on Packaging Waste (94/62/EC), Repak was set up as an industry response to the obligations these pieces of legislation put on Ireland. It is the only government approved compliance scheme under the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 1997.
Targets:
The objective of the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 1997 is to promote the recovery and recycling of packaging waste and ultimately help achieve the recovery targets as set out in the EU Directive 94/62/EC.
Repak and it’s members succeeded in reaching and exceeding Ireland’s National Recycling Target of 25% of packaging waste in 2001 and the 50% target for 2005, as set by the EU directive. These targets were achieved by recycling of 80% commercial packaging waste and 20% household packaging waste.
Ireland’s target for 2005 is 50% recovery.
The target increases to 60% recovery by 2011. It is proposed that this figure should increase to 70% by 2009. Other Member States are currently recovering and recycling up to and above 50% of packaging waste with a minimum of 15% by weight per material.
Greenstar – Repak Approved Recovery Operator
Greenstar is a fully licenced and permitted waste management company and is a Repak Approved Recovery Operator. As an approved operator Greenstar collect and recover packaging waste from our clients. Our role is to:
- Manage client back door segregation of packaging waste
- Collection of packaging waste
- Processing of packaging waste (further segregation, shredding, granulation, baling, sorting and bulking of material)
- Source fully compliant Third Party Outlets / End User Destinations for the packaging waste whereby it is recycled / recovered
- Transport packaging waste to Third Party Outlets / End User Destination
- Provide a paper trail to guarantee that the packaging waste has been recycled / recovered
The packaging materials that can be claimed from Repak are as follows:
- Aluminium
- Plastic
- Glass
- Steel
- Paper
- Wood
Repak Members pay an annual fee to Repak. This entails Repak meeting the packaging waste recycling and recovery targets on behalf of its members. A portion of the fee is directed towards the Repak subsidy, which helps meet the targets as set out in the regulations.
In order for Greenstar to claim the Repak subsidy, full details of packaging waste recovery per month must be submitted to Repak. Repak, can externally audit Greenstar at any time, to ensure that all claims are authentic. Repak use these statistics in national recovery rates to report to the Department of the Environment and Local Government and the EPA. In turn they report to the EU Commission.
In 2004 Greenstar Recycling Ltd. was chosen as one of five finalists for the coveted Repak Packaging Recovery Operator of the year Award. A certificate was presented to Greenstar in acknowledgement of substantial achievements in the area of packaging recycling in the above category. The awards were established to promote and encourage good recycling practice in industry, Local Authorities, waste contractors and young people in Ireland.
Packaging Material Definition:
Any material, container or wrapper for or in connection with the containment, transport, handling, protection, promotion, marketing or sale of any product or substance including such packaging may be prescribed.
How do I know if the new regulations affect me?
If your company supplies packaging into the Irish market you may be affected by The Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 2003. These regulations affect companies in two different ways:
- If your company has an annual turnover in excess of €1 million and puts 10 tonnes or more of packaging into Ireland each year, you are considered to be a “Major Producer” and are therefore responsible for the packaging your company places onto the Irish Market. To comply with the regulation you have two options:
- Join Repak
- Pay an annual membership fee
- Submit statistics on packaging supplied
- Exemption from take back system on packaging material
- Exemption from registering with your Local Authority
Repak use fees collected from members to fund recycling initiatives around Ireland including subsidising Waste Contractors and Local Authorities for all packaging material they collect for recycling.
- Self Compliance
- Register with the Local Authority
- Pay a registration fee
- Submit statistics on packaging supplied
- Accept back packaging waste from customers and the public
- Display notices stating that there is a take back system for packaging materials
- All companies that put packaging onto the Irish Market (irrespective of being a major producer or not) have a legal obligation to deal responsibly with their back door waste. Particular packaging materials are banned from going to landfill and therefore must be separated at source by waste material type or collected with the aim of recovery/ recycling or returned to the supplier of that packaging. (The specific packaging material is: aluminium, glass, fibreboard, paper, plastic sheeting, steel, and wood.)
Major Producers who choose not to register with Repak or self comply will be in breech of the Waste Management (Packaging Regulations) 2003 and could face prosecution by their Local Authority which could result in fines of up to €12.7 million and/ or imprisonment.
Benefits of Repak Membership:
- Exemption from accepting packaging waste from customers and the public
- Licence to use the Green Dot on Products
- Listing of Repak approved Recovery Operators
- Updates on relevant EU legislation
- Repak lobby the Government and Local Authorities on behalf of its members
- Quarterly newsletter and updates on recycling
- Conferences and workshops
- Advice bureau on recycling best practice and waste management cost reduction
- Statistical training for biannual returns
- Examination and review of your company annual waste management plan
- Help meet National EU packaging waste recycling targets
- Membership of EU recognised compliance and recycling scheme
For further information: www.repak.ie
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