National Waste Statistics Summary Report for 2019

KEY FINDINGS FOR 2019

WASTE GENERATION

MUNICIPAL WASTE increased by CONSTRUCTION AND

3.1m
DEMOLITION WASTE

6% to
TONNES
2.6m to 8.8m
TONNES
Waste from HOUSEHOLDS
correlating with increased
accounted for
1.6m construction activity
nationally.
TONNES

PACKAGING WASTE increased by HAZARDOUS WASTE increased by

to 1.1m to 0.6m
11% TONNES 10% TONNES

WASTE GENERATION IN IRELAND continues to be closely LINKED WITH

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY indicating limited progress towards a circular economy

WASTE TREATMENT

The drop off in Ireland’s MUNICIPAL WASTE PACKAGING

RECYCLING RATES RECYCLING dropped RECYCLING RATE
for some waste
streams continued:
by 1% to
37% dropped by 2% to
62%
The trend almost half of a large majority of
towards MUNICIPAL PLASTIC PACKAGING
INCINERATION
continued
WASTE
incinerated 46%
WASTE incinerated
69%
of MUNICIPAL Ireland RELIED ON EXPORT
15% WASTE was disposed for treating a number
to LANDFILL of key waste streams:

of HOUSEHOLDS 40% of MUNICIPAL WASTE and

had a
48% BROWN BIN, 65% of HAZARDOUS WASTE was
exported for final treatment
up from 43%
in 2018 only of packaging waste was

Municipal biowaste treated by

16% RECYCLED in Ireland
(mainly glass and wood)
COMPOSTING or ANAEROBIC
DIGESTION increased by
to
20% of waste treated by
composting / anaerobic
digestion took place
15% 295,000 at facilities in
TONNES NORTHERN IRELAND

3 Environmental Protection Agency


COMPLIANCE WITH EU TARGETS
Ireland CONTINUED TO MEET
ALL CURRENT RECYCLING
AND RECOVERY TARGETS
for packaging waste and
is ON TRACK to meet the
2020 recycling target for
municipal waste.
However SIGNIFICANT
IMPROVEMENTS
in recycling will be needed
to meet the
2025 and 2030
targets.
RECYCLING RATES REMAIN
WORRYINGLY LOW
for plastic packaging at
with a continuing
28%
trend towards
ENERGY RECOVERY 69%
FUTURE PLASTIC RECYCLING
targets of
50% by 2025 55%
will be VERY CHALLENGING
for Ireland to meet
OUTLOOK
The latest EPA data highlight that
URGENT ACTION
IS NEEDED
• to reverse the rise in waste CIRCULAR ones that promote
generation
• significantly improve
recycling rates
• and increase Ireland’s self-sufficiency
in treating our waste
National Waste Statistics Summary Report for 2019
IRELAND MET ALL
RECYCLING AND RECOVERY
TARGETS FOR WEEE
however Ireland
FAILED TO MEET
THE NEW WEEE
COLLECTION TARGET of 65%
achieving a separate
collection rate of 61%
Ireland
CONTINUED TO MEET
ALL REUSE AND RECYCLING
RATE TARGETS
for end-of-life vehicles
but by a narrow
margin.
Ireland is ON TRACK TO MEET
THE 2020 RECOVERY TARGET of
70% for C&D waste,
by 2030 achieving a
material recovery
rate of 84%
in 2019
Ireland needs to transform current
BUSINESS MODELS
into
WASTE REDUCTION, REUSE &
RECYCLING.
CIRCULARITY ROADMAPS
are needed for key economic
sectors, supported by clear policy,
legislation and targets.
Environmental Protection Agency 4