Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 442: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to bring forward legislation obliging the manufacturers of drinking cans, disposable bottles and plastic bottles to accept the return of these items; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20113/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Drinking cans, disposable bottles and plastic bottles are covered by the scope of Directive 94/62/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on packaging and packaging waste (the Packaging Directive). This 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. 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).

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.

At present, the arrangements for recovering packaging waste from consumers and householders consist principally of segregated collections for dry recyclables and an extensive network of bring banks and civic amenity sites. 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.

I am conscious that despite progress on recycling we need to continue to improve our performance. The 2007 Programme for Government contained a commitment to carry out an international review of waste management plans, practices and procedures and act on its conclusions, and in November 2009 consultants delivered a major international report on waste management policy. I am utilising the report's recommendations, with a key focus on waste prevention, reuse and recycling, in developing a new policy statement on waste management, which I will bring to Government and publish for public consultation shortly.