Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 650: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on whether subsidising recycled packaging material might create a financial incentive for proactive companies to use recycled packaging instead of one-trip packaging. [30577/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Prevention and minimisation of packaging waste is an increasingly important objective of the waste management strategy. Directive 2004/12/EC amending the original Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste introduces a new increased packaging waste recovery target of 60%, with 55% by way of recycling, including material specific recycling targets for glass 60%, paper or board 60%, metals 50%, plastics 22.5% and wood 15% which in the case of Ireland have to be achieved by 2011. In October 2004, I established the National Strategy Group on Packaging Waste Recycling, involving the key public-private stakeholders such as Repak, IBEC, producers, waste collectors, reprocessors, local authorities and my Department to develop an appropriate strategy to facilitate the achievement of the challenging 2011 packaging waste recovery or recycling targets required under the amending directive on packaging and packaging waste.

In accordance with the waste hierarchy, I am of the view that the proposed six year strategy should address the fundamental issues of waste prevention, minimisation and reuse. I have asked that the draft strategy address this issue. In particular, I have indicated that I will consider making a contribution from the environment fund towards trials to develop innovative packaging systems designed to reduce the amount of packaging and food waste arising in the household waste stream. These trials will be aimed at innovative improvements which will not only target a reduction in the amount of packaging on specified products but will examine the feasibility of increasing the amount of recycled material used in the manufacture of new packaging.