Minister Dillon approves 10-year licence for Repak
- Foilsithe: 16 Eanáir 2026
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 16 Eanáir 2026
Approval period provides stability and certainty for long-term planning and investment – during a period of change for business packaging
Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment with special responsibility for the Circular Economy, Alan Dillon, has announced that he has approved Repak to continue to operate the Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for packaging in Ireland until 2035.
Commenting on the new licence approval, Minister Dillon said:
"Improving sustainability in the packaging sector is a significant challenge across Europe. The new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is set to reshape how packaging is designed, used and recycled. This 10-year approval is aligned to the programme of legislative changes arising from the PPWR which take effect from August this year. Repak is charged with managing this change on behalf of the packaging sector in Ireland. A 10-year approval will provide the stability and certainty necessary for long-term planning and investment as we enter a period of significant change for every business that uses packaging."
Under the approval, Repak charges fees to packaging producers, and uses those fees to fund the collection and treatment of waste packaging.
Repak is responsible for achieving its members' share of EU recycling and recovery targets and is required to report annually to the Minister on the scheme's overall performance.
ENDS
Notes to the Editor
Who is Repak?
Repak was established in 1997 as a not-for-profit organisation to promote, co-ordinate and finance the collection and recovery of packaging waste. Repak has operated as an extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme in Ireland since then and has been licenced by way of Ministerial approval.
Repak is run by a board which includes Repak members, elected by the membership. The scheme is funded by fees from the producers of packaging, which they pay to Repak for placing packaging on the market, with higher fees for materials which are harder to recycle. These fees are then paid out by Repak as subsidies to waste collectors for them to collect, sort, recover and recycle the packaging waste.
Extended Producer Responsibility
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy approach that makes producers responsible for their products along the entire lifecycle, including at the post-consumer stage. EPR generates funding from producers that help to pay for the collection, sorting and recycling of waste products. By doing so, it helps achieve environmental goals such as recycling targets.
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)
EU Directive 94/62/EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste (PPWD) is the main piece of legislation governing packaging and packaging waste in Europe. Despite being regulated since 1994, packaging waste remains a significant issue. In response to concerns around the growing environmental impact of packaging waste across Europe, a new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) has been introduced to replace the current Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive.
Further information on EU Directive 94/62/EC can be found on the EUR-Lex website.