Take away but don’t throw away, urges Repak

DEVOTEES of takeaway meals are being urged to wash out their trays and recycle them after it emerged that €90 million aluminium trays are dumped each year in Ireland.

While 50% of aluminium cans are now being recycled, up to €3 million worth of foil plates and trays end up in landfill, according to a Repak survey.

In Ireland the can recycling rate has steadily increased to an all time high of 50%, an improvement on last year, but the overall aluminium recycling rate is just 30%, reflecting the lack of recycling of trays which come with pre-packed meals, takeaways and confectionery.