Almost 70% of plastic in Ireland is burned instead of recycled

The European Commission’s data analysis arm, Eurostat, has said Ireland has the highest plastic waste generation, far higher than the EU average. File picture

Ireland’s burgeoning reliance on plastic has been laid bare, with figures showing about 70% of it being burned instead of recycled.

As the country attempts to get to grips with 2030 emissions reductions targets set out in the recently-signed Climate Bill, data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show a mere 28% of plastic generated was recycled, according to the latest available figures.