Better recycling would save €3m annually in waste fees

Almost one million tonnes of recyclable material is wasted every year because of people putting rubbish or dirty recyclables in green bins, it has emerged.

Research for Repak has found that recycling better would save around €3m annually in land fees and levies. Up to 30% of green bins are contaminated with stuff that is not meant to be in it — clothes, nappies, food, garden waste and glass.

Last year, household used packaging recycled by Repak increased by 8%, with 55% collected through green bin systems.

This week — Repak Recycling Week — people will be encouraged to ‘bin their bad behaviour and recycle better’.

The survey for Repak found more than half (52%) of people want transgressors punished with half (50%) expressing support for contractors who put cameras on their vehicles to expose bin sinners.

Recycling sins include:

- More than a third (34%) place clothes, food, garden waste, used batteries, toys, old shoes in the green bin, accidently or on purpose.

- One in four never rinse or clear out liquid residues from containers so, even if they are placed in the right bin, they are still contaminated and can leak onto other dry recyclables lowering their quality and value.

- Other offenders include 28% of adults who put their dry recyclables into the green bin in a box or bag. This practice increases the costs and difficulty of separation.

- Over half (53%) of people admit they are not sure of what should go into the green bin but only 30% have received or sought information on what’s allowed.

Repak wants people to wash and squash recyclables before putting them in their green bin and to know the correct collection day so recyclables do not build up and get put in other bins.

Visit Repak.ie or Recyclemore.ie