The recycling and waste recovery targets, which are legally binding, are part of an existing directive that the European Parliament voted to strengthen. To meet the targets set for Ireland, the Government will have to persuade everyone to recycle more, but business will also have to reduce the packaging it creates and emphasis must be placed on a reduction of the volume of waste generated in industrial manufacturing and retail processes and also in the home. A new local authority support unit should be set up by the Minister of State to prioritise needs and deliver a toolkit of solutions to help local authorities meet their statutory targets for the recycling of municipal waste. Educational programmes and financial initiatives, such as a tax on packaging with built in costs and a choice given to the consumer, can encourage this. The plastic bag tax introduced by the former Minister for the Environment and Local Government was a major success.