Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations

The European Union (Packaging) Regulations, 2014 as amended (S.I.  No. 282/2014) are designed to promote the recovery of packaging waste by imposing recycling obligations on commercial suppliers who place packaging or packaged products onto the Irish market.

 Packaging waste is comprised of the following waste types:

• Aluminium
• Fibreboard
• Glass
• Paper
• Plastic Sheeting
• Steel
• Wood 

The regulations apply to all businesses that handle specified packaging, in whatever form it arises, in the course of their business.

Information for businesses

Producers

If your business is involved in supplying packaging material, packaging or packaged products, you are known as a producer of packaging.

Typical producers of packaging include:

• Shops
• Public Houses
• Supermarkets
• Fast food outlets
• Wholesalers
• Manufacturers
• Importers
• Exporters

Producer obligations

If your business falls under the category of a producer, then you must arrange to have your packaging waste:

• Taken back by a supplier or
• Segregated and collected by an authorised collector for the purpose of recovery.

Packaging waste must not be contaminated in any way.

If you require further information and advice on dealing with your packaging waste, then please see the contact and links below.

Major producers

If your business places more than 10 tonnes of packaging (other than re-use or export) on the Irish market or has a turnover of more than €1 million annually you are considered to be a major producer of packaging and therefore you have additional obligations under the regulations such as:

• Arrange to have your packaging waste taken back by a supplier or
• Ensure your packaging waste is collected by an authorised collector for the purpose of recovery
• Register with the Local Authority as a Major Producer (Self Compliance) or
• Join an Approved Recovery Scheme (Repak Ltd)

Self-compliance

If you wish to become a self-complier please contact the Waste Management Section directly using the details below.

Approved recovery scheme (Repak Ltd)

The alternative to self-compliance is for your company to become a member of the an Approved Recovery / Compliance Scheme.

Repak Ltd is the sole approved packaging compliance / recovery scheme in Ireland and membership of the scheme is open to all suppliers of packaging.

If you wish to find out more about becoming a member of Repak Ltd, you can do so by visiting the website address below:

Useful contacts

Repak Ltd

Red Cow Interchange Estate 1 Ballymount Road, Clondalkin,

Dublin 22, Eircode: D22 HW67

Telephone: 01 467 0190

Website: www.repak.ie

Cavan County Council Waste Management Section

Email: waste@cavancoco.ie

Phone: 049 4378406