Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 311: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to introduce a deposit scheme for glass bottles and jars in order to further encourage their recycling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5920/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Deposit and refund schemes can contribute to the recovery rates for certain types of packaging waste. Directive 94/62/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on packaging and packaging waste (the Packaging Directive) is based on the concept of producer responsibility, which effectively requires producers to contribute to the waste management costs of products which they have placed on the market. Under the Directive, Ireland was required to achieve a 25% recovery rate of packaging waste by 1 July 2001, increasing to a 50% recovery rate by 31 December 2005.

Practical implementation of the Directive in Ireland is organised mainly through a collective industry-based compliance scheme operated by Repak Limited which is operating successfully. Directive 2004/12/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council amending the Packaging Directive introduces a new increased packaging waste recovery target of 60% (with 55% by way of recycling) as well as material specific recycling targets for glass, paper/board, metals, plastics and wood. The National Waste Report 2008 states that packaging waste recovery increased to 65% in that year, indicating that Ireland has met and exceeded the target recovery rate of 60% set by the Packaging Directive for 2011.

The recycling target for glass, which Ireland has to achieve by 2011, is 60%. Ireland has already exceeded this target, the recycling rate for glass in 2008 being 74%.

I am conscious that despite progress on recycling we need to continue to improve our performance. The comprehensive review of waste management policy, underpinned by the recently published Eunomia Report, which I have initiated, will also consider the desirability of other producer responsibility schemes, including deposit and refund.