Ireland must recycle an additional 400,000 tonnes of waste each year if it is to meet its legally binding EU recycling targets, according to a new report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The latest figures show that just 42% of municipal waste was recycled in 2023—well below the EU target of 55% due by 2025. The EPA warned that Ireland is now almost certain to miss the upcoming milestone unless urgent action is taken.
The report highlighted several areas of concern. Packaging waste has grown almost four times faster than recycling rates since 2016, with plastic packaging recycling at just 30% in 2023—far short of the 50% required by 2025. Meanwhile, construction waste, the country’s largest waste stream, reached nine million tonnes last year.
Ireland generated 3.13 million tonnes of municipal waste in 2023, broadly unchanged from 2022, but the amount recycled—1.3 million tonnes—has remained stagnant for a decade. A further 1.3 million tonnes was incinerated for energy recovery, while 14% was sent to landfill. Notably, 1.2 million tonnes of municipal waste was exported abroad, reflecting the country’s limited domestic recycling infrastructure.
David Flynn, Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Sustainability, said Ireland must take immediate steps to address both high waste generation and stalled recycling rates.
“Ireland’s waste generation is too high. Our report highlights that Ireland needs to make measurable progress on recycling and reduce overall consumption. We need investment in recycling infrastructure and to stop exporting a significant amount of our municipal waste to other countries,” he said.
The report also criticised the “excessive” levels of packaging waste and pointed out that opportunities to reduce, reuse, and recycle valuable resources are being missed.
In response, Minister of State for the Circular Economy Alan Dillon launched a six-week public consultation on Ireland’s second Whole-of-Government Circular Economy Strategy, which closes on 5 November. The strategy aims to raise Ireland’s circular material use rate by at least two percentage points each year.
“The circular economy is not just an environmental ambition; it is an economic and social opportunity,” said Dillon. “By rethinking how we design, use, and reuse materials, we can cut waste, protect resources, and create new jobs and businesses.”
He pointed to recent reforms such as the Deposit Return Scheme, wider access to brown bins, and new packaging rules designed to improve recyclability. These measures, he said, would help Ireland move closer to its targets, though the scale of the challenge remains daunting.
The EPA’s findings underline the need for accelerated progress if Ireland is to meet EU obligations between 2025 and 2035, including reducing landfill use to 10% or less by 2035.
