Ireland has confirmed a long-term commitment to its packaging extended producer responsibility framework after the government approved a new 10-year licence for Repak, the country’s sole approved packaging compliance scheme.
The decision provides regulatory certainty for businesses placing packaging on the Irish market and aligns national policy with evolving European Union packaging waste and recycling rules.
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The licence, approved by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, allows Repak to continue operating Ireland’s packaging EPR system until 2036.
The move comes as governments and industry across Europe prepare for stricter obligations under the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which will introduce higher recycling targets and tougher reporting requirements.
Long-term certainty for packaging compliance in Ireland
Repak has operated since 1997 as a not-for-profit organisation, helping businesses meet their legal duties under Irish and EU packaging legislation. Under the EPR model, producers that place packaging on the market are responsible for financing its collection, recycling and recovery.
The newly approved licence confirms Repak’s role as the national operator for packaging compliance in Ireland. It applies to “major producers”, defined as companies with annual turnover above €1 million that place more than 10 tonnes of packaging on the Irish market each year.
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By GlobalDataFor businesses, the decision reduces regulatory uncertainty at a time when packaging rules are becoming more complex. The extended licence provides a stable framework for compliance planning, investment in sustainable packaging, and preparation for future EU requirements.
It also supports continuity in Ireland’s household and commercial recycling systems, which rely heavily on producer funding.
Funding recycling infrastructure and meeting EU targets
Fees paid by Repak members fund a wide range of waste and recycling infrastructure across Ireland. This includes household recycling bins, bottle banks, civic amenity sites and commercial “back-door” collection services for businesses.
Ireland, like other EU member states, faces ambitious recycling targets. Current EU goals require at least 65% of all packaging waste to be recycled by 2030, with a specific target of 55% for plastic packaging.
Meeting these targets will require continued investment in collection systems, sorting facilities and public participation.
Repak’s EPR model channels producer fees into subsidising the recovery of paper, plastic, glass, metal and wood packaging. The long-term licence is intended to support consistent funding flows, allowing local authorities and waste operators to plan upgrades and capacity expansion.
For international packaging producers supplying the Irish market, this provides clarity on how compliance costs will be calculated and applied over the next decade.
Policy alignment with sustainability and circular economy goals
The licence approval also reflects Ireland’s broader environmental policy direction, which places packaging waste reduction and recycling at the centre of circular economy strategy.
Beyond compliance administration, Repak leads voluntary initiatives aimed at reducing the environmental impact of packaging.
These include the Plastic Pledge, under which more than 140 major producers have committed to cutting single-use plastic and improving recyclability. Repak also runs national education campaigns to improve recycling behaviour, promoting simple rules such as keeping recyclable items clean, dry and loose.
Members of the scheme are entitled to use the Green Dot symbol on packaging, signalling that they have contributed financially to its recovery. While the symbol does not guarantee recyclability, it remains a recognised indicator of participation in a producer responsibility scheme across Europe.
The 10-year licence positions Ireland to respond to upcoming EU regulatory changes, including harmonised labelling and stricter reporting under the PPWR.
For packaging manufacturers, brand owners and importers operating internationally, the decision underscores the importance of robust EPR systems as governments seek to shift the cost of waste management upstream to producers.
As global pressure mounts to reduce packaging waste and improve recycling performance, Ireland’s move to secure the long-term operation of its packaging compliance scheme is likely to be closely watched by industry and policymakers beyond its borders.
