Rising levels of waste are unsustainable, warns EPA

The latest statistics reveal overall waste generation has increased to 16.2m tonnes per year, up from 12.7m tonnes in 2012.

Rising levels of waste over the past decade coupled with a paltry reuse of materials means Ireland has a steep mountain to climb to meet EU targets by 2025.

Data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found that massive amounts of waste are being exported rather than recycled back into circulation. This includes most electrical and electronic equipment.