The Government’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2021 is a fairly heavy read. As a consumer, I want to know exactly what I should and shouldn’t be doing to make a positive impact on our national climate targets, but I don’t want to have to sift through pages of policy and research. I don’t think I’m alone here – I have a job, and kids, please just tell me what to do.
In saying all of that, chapter 18 of the plan (which focuses on developing a circular economy) spoke to me. It might seem a bit vague compared to some of the other chapters, but it’s something that any community can (and largely, already does) easily get involved with.
When we talk about a circular economy, what we’re really saying is: keep our material resources going for as long as possible; get as much use out of them – as a community and a society – as we can, and find ways to be less wasteful.
What are the goals?
Replacing the current linear lifespan with a closed loop for materials and resources (instead of creating waste; reusing materials as much as possible).Preventing waste at every opportunity through eco-design and a reuse/repair approach.Change each individual mindset in regard to waste and consumption (did you know that, if food waste were a country, it would be the third largest global greenhouse gas emitter?)Rural Ireland has traditionally been really good at managing waste. With this in mind, the goals set out in the CAP for a circular economy should be easy to achieve, right? Well, maybe not.
In actuality, our national material consumption is well above the European average. Our circularity rate is 1.6% (well behind the EU national average of 11.9%). This means we buy a lot and throw out a lot, so we do in fact have some work to do in this regard.
What can we do right now?
Over the next two issues, our Climate Conversations feature will go through two easy ways the average consumer can make a difference – first, through correct recycling and, second, by reusing and rehoming unwanted items. With Christmas here, a brush up on recycling couldn’t hurt, anyway!
Repak is a not-for-profit environmental organisation dealing mainly with the problems around waste in Ireland. It aims to promote a more circular economy by educating businesses and consumers on how best to recycle waste and reduce consumption. Recycling is a major part of the continuing development of a circular economy and, done correctly, it’s an easy way for the average citizen to positively contribute to our climate goals. A representative of Repak tells Irish Country Living that is it actually a critical component to any circular economy.
“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 communities,” they state. “If each person takes individual responsibility to educate themselves on becoming a best practice recycler, placing all plastics in the recycling bin and ensuring all materials are clean, dry and loose, collectively we can achieve these targets and keep the circular economy in a loop.”
Anna Geary
Athlete and television personality Anna Geary is one of Repak Team Green’s brand ambassadors. She explains that its aim is to help the average citizen become a best practise recycler.
Athlete and television personality Anna Geary is a brand ambassador for Repak's Team Green, which encourages Irish consumers to become best practise recyclers
“My mam is a really avid recycler and [growing up] you would not dare put something into the general waste bin that could be recycled,” she laughs. “I learned from a really young age about the importance of recycling. In a time when there’s pressure being put on everyone to be perfect, [the nice thing] with Repak Team Green is it’s just about pledging to become a best practise recycler.”
Anna says the Repak Team Green website is a good source of information on what can and can’t currently be recycled.
“It’s all the little things you learn,” she says. “Things like your detergents and cleaning bottles – you don’t have to clean them out, you can just put them in the bin once they’re empty. We know it’s a big conversation and a lot of people feel, ‘What can little old me do?’ But we can all take a personal responsibility.”
Irish consumers were recently informed we can now recycle soft plastics as well as hard. Irish Country Living asks Anna – what is the difference between the two?
“A soft plastic is anything you can scrunch up in your hand,” she explains. “Bread wrappers, shopping bags or rice and pasta bags. Then rigid plastic is anything that doesn’t lose its shape. Remember, everything has to be clean, dry and loose – this is the key to recycling. You can’t put a bunch of other things into a box and add the box to the bin – everything needs to be loose.”
To recycle or not to recycle this Christmas?
These items can go into the recycling bin:
Cardboard boxes. Confectionery/biscuit tins/tubs.The outer wrappers of baked goods.Bubble wrap.Christmas cards.Plastic wrap on products. Plastic shopping bags.Chocolate and biscuit trays.These items can’t go in the recycling bin:
Glittery wrapping paper.Christmas crackers.Sellotape.Ribbons.Batteries.Styrofoam.Any electrical items (including Christmas tree lights).Plastic toys (these should go to charity shops).*Remember, glass items should not be put into your recycling bin. You should recycle glass separately at your local bottle bank.
*Kitchen towel can be disposed of in your food waste bin as long as it hasn’t come into contact with chemicals (if you use it to wipe your hands, for example, or wipe up a spilled drink). If you have used it with cleaners, dispose of it in the general waste bin.
*Remember, cans, tins, foil and aluminium trays can all go in the recycling bin.
Not sure how to recycle awkward items?
Visit weeeireland.ie. You can recycle lighting, electrical or battery waste for free through their authorised collection points (these collection points are listed on their website). By recycling items like these, valuable resources like metals, plastic and glass can be recovered and reused. Recycling these types of items correctly also ensures any hazardous materials within the items are disposed of in a safe way.
Read more
Climate Conversations: citizen engagement
Delivering on climate action plan 'responsibility of everyone'
The Government’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2021 is a fairly heavy read. As a consumer, I want to know exactly what I should and shouldn’t be doing to make a positive impact on our national climate targets, but I don’t want to have to sift through pages of policy and research. I don’t think I’m alone here – I have a job, and kids, please just tell me what to do.
In saying all of that, chapter 18 of the plan (which focuses on developing a circular economy) spoke to me. It might seem a bit vague compared to some of the other chapters, but it’s something that any community can (and largely, already does) easily get involved with.
When we talk about a circular economy, what we’re really saying is: keep our material resources going for as long as possible; get as much use out of them – as a community and a society – as we can, and find ways to be less wasteful.
What are the goals?
Replacing the current linear lifespan with a closed loop for materials and resources (instead of creating waste; reusing materials as much as possible).Preventing waste at every opportunity through eco-design and a reuse/repair approach.Change each individual mindset in regard to waste and consumption (did you know that, if food waste were a country, it would be the third largest global greenhouse gas emitter?)Rural Ireland has traditionally been really good at managing waste. With this in mind, the goals set out in the CAP for a circular economy should be easy to achieve, right? Well, maybe not.
In actuality, our national material consumption is well above the European average. Our circularity rate is 1.6% (well behind the EU national average of 11.9%). This means we buy a lot and throw out a lot, so we do in fact have some work to do in this regard.
What can we do right now?
Over the next two issues, our Climate Conversations feature will go through two easy ways the average consumer can make a difference – first, through correct recycling and, second, by reusing and rehoming unwanted items. With Christmas here, a brush up on recycling couldn’t hurt, anyway!
Repak is a not-for-profit environmental organisation dealing mainly with the problems around waste in Ireland. It aims to promote a more circular economy by educating businesses and consumers on how best to recycle waste and reduce consumption. Recycling is a major part of the continuing development of a circular economy and, done correctly, it’s an easy way for the average citizen to positively contribute to our climate goals. A representative of Repak tells Irish Country Living that is it actually a critical component to any circular economy.
“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 communities,” they state. “If each person takes individual responsibility to educate themselves on becoming a best practice recycler, placing all plastics in the recycling bin and ensuring all materials are clean, dry and loose, collectively we can achieve these targets and keep the circular economy in a loop.”
Anna Geary
Athlete and television personality Anna Geary is one of Repak Team Green’s brand ambassadors. She explains that its aim is to help the average citizen become a best practise recycler.
Athlete and television personality Anna Geary is a brand ambassador for Repak's Team Green, which encourages Irish consumers to become best practise recyclers
“My mam is a really avid recycler and [growing up] you would not dare put something into the general waste bin that could be recycled,” she laughs. “I learned from a really young age about the importance of recycling. In a time when there’s pressure being put on everyone to be perfect, [the nice thing] with Repak Team Green is it’s just about pledging to become a best practise recycler.”
Anna says the Repak Team Green website is a good source of information on what can and can’t currently be recycled.
“It’s all the little things you learn,” she says. “Things like your detergents and cleaning bottles – you don’t have to clean them out, you can just put them in the bin once they’re empty. We know it’s a big conversation and a lot of people feel, ‘What can little old me do?’ But we can all take a personal responsibility.”
Irish consumers were recently informed we can now recycle soft plastics as well as hard. Irish Country Living asks Anna – what is the difference between the two?
“A soft plastic is anything you can scrunch up in your hand,” she explains. “Bread wrappers, shopping bags or rice and pasta bags. Then rigid plastic is anything that doesn’t lose its shape. Remember, everything has to be clean, dry and loose – this is the key to recycling. You can’t put a bunch of other things into a box and add the box to the bin – everything needs to be loose.”
To recycle or not to recycle this Christmas?
These items can go into the recycling bin:
Cardboard boxes. Confectionery/biscuit tins/tubs.The outer wrappers of baked goods.Bubble wrap.Christmas cards.Plastic wrap on products. Plastic shopping bags.Chocolate and biscuit trays.These items can’t go in the recycling bin:
Glittery wrapping paper.Christmas crackers.Sellotape.Ribbons.Batteries.Styrofoam.Any electrical items (including Christmas tree lights).Plastic toys (these should go to charity shops).*Remember, glass items should not be put into your recycling bin. You should recycle glass separately at your local bottle bank.
*Kitchen towel can be disposed of in your food waste bin as long as it hasn’t come into contact with chemicals (if you use it to wipe your hands, for example, or wipe up a spilled drink). If you have used it with cleaners, dispose of it in the general waste bin.
*Remember, cans, tins, foil and aluminium trays can all go in the recycling bin.
Not sure how to recycle awkward items?
Visit weeeireland.ie. You can recycle lighting, electrical or battery waste for free through their authorised collection points (these collection points are listed on their website). By recycling items like these, valuable resources like metals, plastic and glass can be recovered and reused. Recycling these types of items correctly also ensures any hazardous materials within the items are disposed of in a safe way.
Read more
Climate Conversations: citizen engagement
Delivering on climate action plan 'responsibility of everyone'
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