recycling Archives - Ireland's Forecourt & Convenience Retailer

Repak launches search for Ireland’s environmental best in class

Linda Stewart — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 09:23:33 +0000

Repak has launched the 2022 Pakman Awards, Ireland’s National Environmental Awards, which recognise excellence in recycling and waste management across organisations, businesses, community groups and individuals in Ireland.

Entries are now open on www.pakman.ie, closing on Friday 23^rd September 2022.

Now in its eighth year, The Pakman Awards are recognised as one of the most prestigious accolades that an organisation, community group or individual can win in Ireland’s environmental sector.

This year will see 10 categories in the National Environmental Awards and the Overall Pakman Award, which was won by Irish Packaging Recycling (IPR) in 2021. IPR invested €2 million upgrading the plastics and metals sorting line at its Dublin plant in 2020, which resulted in the recovery of an additional 2,500 tonnes of plastics and aluminium. Award categories also include Community Recycling Initiative, Waste Prevention Award and Business Recycling Champion.

Category entrants are invited to submit examples of their environmental efforts from the past year, with details of all categories available on www.pakman.ie. The winners will be announced at this year’s Pakman Awards, which will be held on the 28^th October 2022 in The Marker Hotel, Dublin.

Speaking at the launch of the 2022 Pakman Awards, Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGoverment, Communications and the Circular Economy, Ossian Smyth TD, said: “As Ireland’s focus shifts away from waste disposal towards how we can preserve resources by creating a circular economy, the 2022 Pakman Awards provide an opportunity to raise awareness about the circular economy and how it can improve citizens lives in a tangible way.

“The awards will recognise Ireland’s environmental best in class, highlighting and acknowledging achievements of individuals, communities, businesses, and organisations who are leading Ireland’s transition to a circular economy through prevention, recycling and awareness initiatives.”

Séamus Clancy, CEO of Repak added: “The Pakman Awards offer not only businesses and organisations but community groups and individuals the opportunity to showcase their best practices and innovation in recycling and waste management.

“We are back to a new normality after a challenging two years and we’re looking forward to seeing the changes organisations and community groups have made over the past 12 months and highlighting these efforts.

“We would like to encourage all organisations, businesses, community groups and individuals to share the innovations they have made and enter this year’s awards. We are proud to see so many organisations and individuals over the years make these environmental changes, big and small, to ensure that Ireland continues in our overall commitment to a sustainable future.”

More information can be found on Pakman Awards on Facebook and @PakmanAwards on Twitter and www.pakman.ie.

The Pakman Awards 2022 categories are:

Category

Business Recycling Champion

Community Recycling Initiative

Environmental Education and Awareness Initiative

Innovation in Waste Resource Products or Service

Plastic Pledge Award

Tyre Champion

Waste Prevention Award

Waste Recovery Operator of the Year – Commercial and Household

Waste Recycling Facility of the Year

WEEE & Battery Champion

Overall Pakman Winner

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Two-thirds of consumers don’t support coffee cup ban

Linda Stewart — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 10:19:52 +0000

Almost two-thirds of Irish consumers oppose a ban on single-use takeaway coffee cups, according to a new survey.

The data was collected on behalf of the Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI), which opposes the Government’s proposed measures to limit the use of paper-based cups.

The association, which has 2,500 members, said that those working in the hospitality industry would rather see the Government focus on improving recycling capacity in the State.

“There are around 15,000 employees in the coffee-related hospitality sector in Ireland, and the vast majority of coffee shop business is takeaway trade. These to-go outlets – often small, family-run businesses – will have to shoulder the burden of the levy and prospective ban on cups,” said RAI Chief Executive Adrian Cummins.

“We all recognise that Ireland must do more to reduce its plastics use and littering levels, but banning compostable and recyclable paper-based cups in favour of hard plastic cups isn’t the way to go about it.

“The market will be driven towards cheap and low-quality items made entirely of hard plastics, with limited reuse potential.”

The so-called ‘latte levy’, which will see the introduction of a 20-cent levy on all disposable paper coffee cups, has faced resistance from stakeholders since the idea was first floated.

According to the RAI’s data, 63% of people feel that recyclable and compostable cups should be excluded from the levy, while nearly three in four feel that paper-based cups should not be subject to it.

The measure is set to be introduced under the Government’s Circular Economy Bill by the end of this year.

It is hoped that the move will encourage customers to switch to reusable items and help curb the dumping of 200 million coffee cups per year.

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Government needs to rethink coffee cup levy: Retail Excellence

Linda Stewart — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 09:11:53 +0000

A proposed 20 cent levy on single-use coffee cups “sends the wrong message on sustainability” and the Government needs to rethink its strategy, according to Retail Excellence.

The measure was announced earlier this year by the Government as part of the Circular Economy Bill, which is aimed at reducing waste and influencing behaviour.

Minister of State Ossian Smyth has said the levy is designed to wean people off single use containers and switch to reusable keep cups.

When announcing the measures contained in the bill in late March, Mr Smyth said the use of reusable cups for takeaway coffee had dwindled during the Covid pandemic, but stressed that public health advice said they were safe and there should be no concerns about spreading Covid-19.

However, Managing Director of Retail Excellence Duncan Graham now says the proposed levy has sent out a mixed message to retailers, does not make sense and could have unintended consequences for businesses.

“The reality behind this, and where the Greens are taking us with this one, is the elimination of paper cups and the replacement of them with plastic reusable cups,” he said.

“Paper cups are recyclable and are often compostable and we’re replacing that with a plastic cup that potentially ends up in landfill, and that’s a major cause of concern for us.”

Mr Graham said the Government should look at providing workplaces with recyclable containers so that people can dispose of their takeaway coffee cups separately.

He cited a UK study that claimed only 6% of people said they would move permanently towards a keep cup, while 8% would choose to forego a takeaway coffee if a levy was imposed.

Mr Graham said retailers do want to make sustainable changes, but the focus at the moment seems to be on reuse.

“We’re just saying that alongside reuse, we also need to look at recycle, and the Government has its part to play in terms of providing those recycling points and not adding a significant cost to an industry at this moment in time,” he said.

Mr Graham also said that 80% of businesses recently surveyed by Retail Excellence wanted to become more sustainable, while 77% said they need to change some practices and adopt more sustainable products.

He said many “simply didn’t know where to start” and needed advice and further direction.

Retail Excellence is launching a Sustainable Irish Retail Action initiative in conjunction with Champion Green to support businesses to take practical steps in becoming more sustainable.

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Smurfit Kappa unveils 100% recyclable water-resistant paper

Linda Stewart — Thu, 19 May 2022 08:29:40 +0000

Smurfit Kappa has developed an innovative and sustainable water-resistant paper, AquaStop.

AquaStop is part of Smurfit Kappa’s new TechniPaper portfolio, which consists of an array of high-performance papers designed to handle even the most complex supply chains.

The AquaStop paper is water-resistant thanks to a special coating which is added to it during the manufacturing process. Unlike many other coatings, this does not compromise the recyclability of the product and it can be recycled in the same way as standard paper-based packaging.

AquaStop is the latest innovation in Smurfit Kappa’s Better Planet Packaging portfolio of products, which offer sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics. As it is designed to withstand exposure to water without being damaged, it is suitable for e-commerce packaging and packaging for products such as flowers, detergent and fruit and vegetables where temporary protection against water is needed.

It is also particularly suitable for use in humid conditions as the box remains intact while protecting the contents, making it an excellent solution for the transport and storage of refrigerated products where there is exposure to condensation.

Vice president of product development at the Smurfit Kappa Paper Division, Lars Henriksson, said: “We are very excited about AquaStop and believe it is a truly revolutionary paper. We’re expecting AquaStop to interest many of our customers, particularly those who transport goods in more demanding environments, because of the peace of mind it will give them that their products will remain in perfect condition even if exposed to water.

“Our product development team, along with our colleagues in Spain, have created something very special that has superior functionality, whilst at the same time remaining 100% recyclable.”

CEO of Smurfit Kappa Europe, Saverio Mayer, added: “We are continuously developing innovative and sustainable packaging solutions that are helping to meet our ever-growing customer needs, no matter how challenging or unusual the ask is.

“AquaStop is a must-have product for customers with complex supply chain requirements and is another example of how, at Smurfit Kappa, we have the brightest minds and most creative spirits working towards a common goal.”

AquaStop will be showcased at Smurfit Kappa’s customer innovation event later this month.

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Repak Team Green celebrates 22,000 members going eco friendly

Linda Stewart — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 15:03:27 +0000

More than 22,000 people have joined Repak Team Green since the initiative launched in 2018.

The company is calling on the Irish public to join the drive to learn how to recycle more and better.

Now in its fourth year, the Repak Team Green initiative says research shows that out of 850 adults surveyed, 89% are confident that their recycling habits are good, but 1 in 10 are still not confident. However, 64% are more eco conscious now than before the Covid-19 pandemic

Meanwhile, 57% are shopping more locally and 56% adopting best practice recycling habits.

The research examined the public’s attitudes towards eco-conscious behaviour after it was recently announced that all plastic packaging waste can now go into the recycling bin. Ireland is currently exceeding the EU plastic recycling targets of 22.5%. However, achieving the ambitious targets for plastics recycling of 50% by 2025 and 55% by 2030, under the Circular Economy and EU Legislation, will require a concentrated effort by all stakeholders and putting all plastics in the recycling bin is a step towards making this target achievable.

Repak created its Team Green initiative in 2018 to support Ireland in achieving future packaging recycling targets set by the EU and as a result of the efforts by the 22,000 who have joined the initiative, recycled plastic packaging tonnes increased by 9% between the start of 2019 and the end of 2020.

CEO of Repak, Séamus Clancy says: “Since we launched Repak Team Green in 2018, over 22,000 individuals have joined the initiative to reduce, reuse and recycle more and better. Join us on Repak Team Green today and pledge to protect the environment at this critical juncture in Ireland’s journey to reducing and recycling better.”

“All plastic packaging waste now being accepted into recycling bins is a very positive change, as not only does it eliminate confusion amongst householders about what can be recycled, it’s also an opportunity to drive a significant increase in our recycling rates.

“To protect our environment, we need to continue working together to reduce the volume of waste generated and to recycle more. Since 2018, Repak has invested €10 million in funding for plastic recycling, and we are committed to facilitating Ireland’s journey to becoming an even more sustainable society.”

By joining Repak Team Green, not only will you be pledging to recycle more and better, you can also get handy tips on how to do so. It takes just two minutes to join Repak Team Green at repak.ie/teamgreen.

Caption: Repak Team Green ambassador Roz Purcell

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