Packaging Regulations

The Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations, 2007 are designed to promote the recovery of packaging waste by imposing recycling obligations on all producers who place packaging or packaged products onto the Irish market. The legislation states that all producers of packaging are obliged to segregate the packaging or 'back door' waste arising on their own premises into specified waste streams.

The regulations provide that such waste will not be land filled, and so represents a nationwide ban on the land filling of those materials from producers' premises.

Who is Affected by the Regulations?

Producers of packaging are businesses who supply packaging material, packaging or packaged products. They include shops, pubs, supermarkets, fast-food outlets, wholesalers, retailers manufacturers and exporters.

If your business falls into one of these categories, please begin complying with the legislation immediately. Failure to do so can result in fines up to €12.7 million.

The specified packaging materials that must now be recycled are as follows:

• Glass
• Fibreboard
• Paper
• Steel
• Aluminium
• Plastic sheeting
• Wood

These wastes must not be mixed with other waste destined for landfill. Under the regulations, you are obliged to:

• Separate the specified waste packaging types from other waste.
• Arrange for the collection of these segregated materials by a permitted collector, or for their return to the supplier.
• Ensure that any collector used has a permit, and that the final destination of your waste is a recovery  or recycling facility.
• Provide the weights of the packaging materials supplied to customers, if requested.
• Facilitate inspections of your premises by Cork County Council.

View further information on permitted collectors of waste

Additional Obligations on Major Producers

Major producers of packaging waste are those businesses that place more than 10 tonnes of packaging on the Irish market each year, and have a turnover of €1 million. These producers have additional obligations either to join the compliance scheme Repak, or register for self-compliance with their local authority.

Self-compliance means undertaking to accept or collect back packaging waste, while Repak membership means exemptions from doing so. Repak membership fees go towards collective recovery of packaging waste.

Further Information

To obtain the full text of the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations, 2007, you can purchase a copy directly from:

Government Publications Sale Office,
Sun Alliance House,
Molesworth Street,
Dublin 2.

Producer Declaration Form

The first requirement for compliance with the packaging regulations is the making of a declaration to your local authority. If you have any queries, or have trouble understanding how to complete the form, please contact Cork County Council immediately.

Your completed declaration states whether you are potentially a major producer of packaging or otherwise. In a prosecution under the regulations, onus of proof is on the person or producer (see Article 30).

Please be aware under Section 14(6)(c) of the Waste Management Act, 1996, 'Any person who gives, either to an authorised person, a relevant local authority or the Agency, information which to his or her knowledge is false or misleading in a material respect, shall be guilty of an offence.'

Note: This web page is a guide only. It does not purport to provide, and should not be relied upon as, a legal interpretation of the regulations.