Quarter of households put wrong waste into recycling bin, survey finds
Repak chief executive Zoe Kavanagh said that contaminated items that end up in recycling bins, such as food-soiled containers, wet paper, or mixed materials, can result in the rejection of entire loads. File picture: Denis Minihane
Irish households are routinely sabotaging their own efforts to recycle by putting the wrong waste in the green bin, a new survey has found.
The research for non-profit group Repak found that one third of people were unaware that just one dirty bottle, tin or container can contaminate a whole recycling bin.
Published to coincide with World Recycling Day, Repak said that almost a quarter of people (24%) incorrectly said that contamination doesn’t affect the whole bin, with a further one in 10 (9%) saying they weren’t sure.
“Repak would like to remind people that prevention is better than cure,” its chief executive Zoe Kavanagh said.
“Make sure items are clean, dry and loose before placing them in the recycling bin. This means simply rinsing the items and letting them drip dry before placing them loosely into the recycling bin.”
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She said that contaminated items that end up in recycling bins, such as food-soiled containers, wet paper, or mixed materials, can result in the rejection of entire loads.
Furthermore, it is translating into measurable consequences, according to Repak.
Citing research from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it said an estimated 127,000 tonnes of materials are incorrectly disposed of each year. This is one quarter of all the items placed in recycling bins annually.
Meanwhile, 792,000 tonnes of what is put into general waste bins are in the wrong bin.
The EPA has said that Ireland is "over-reliant" on other countries as it sent over one million tonnes of waste abroad in 2022 as it lacked the capacity to treat it here, while the amount of waste we generate has surged by 20% in the last decade.
Almost two-thirds of waste placed in the general waste bin could have been segregated into the recycling or organic bin. In particular, food waste accounts for 17% of household unsegregated waste and this is an area where household recycling rates could improve.
Ms Kavanagh added: “Recycling is a 100% game; it only takes one person to have an impact on the entire household’s good intentions.
“By following the simple rule of ‘Clean, Dry, Loose,’ people can play a vital part in helping us meet national recycling targets. These small but significant actions not only support our recycling efforts but also contribute to protecting our environment for future generations.”
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