EPA calls on food businesses to sign Food Waste Charter

THE EPA has launched a new Food Waste Charter, calling on all businesses and State Agencies operating across the food supply chain to sign up and commit to reducing food waste. Building on the success of the first charter, which launched in 2017 and focused on the grocery retail sector, this new, more ambitious Charter expands the call to action to every organisation in Ireland’s food supply chain.

Businesses signing up to the Food Waste Charter voluntarily commit to measure their food waste, set targets and take action to reduce food waste, and to report annually on progress.

The EPA’s Director General Laura Burke, Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Ossian Smyth TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy, and a number of supporting State Agencies and champion food sector businesses signed the Food Waste Charter at an event at Farmleigh House, pledging their commitment to this Government of Ireland initiative.

“With almost 800,000 tonnes of food waste generated in Ireland annually, meeting Ireland’s commitment to halve food waste by 2030 is very challenging, and we don’t have much time,” noted Laura Burke, EPA Director General. “We need to work together; every business along the food supply chain and in the food services sector must play their part to reduce food waste. These businesses are called on to sign the Food Waste Charter and make a commitment to prevent food waste. Reducing food waste is an important climate action, with global food waste accounting for approximately 10% of global GHG emissions. Food waste is also costly, and many food and drink businesses are looking at more efficient production processes and innovation to reduce and prevent food waste. By signing up and actively engaging with the Food Waste Charter, businesses will have the opportunity to support their climate action goals and reduce their costs.”

Speaking at the event, Ossian Smyth TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy, said: “The Government is committed to making the circular economy a reality in Ireland and tackling food waste is one of the key steps the food sector must take to help us to a more sustainable pattern of production and consumption. Signing up to the Food Waste Charter is a public demonstration of commitment to a collaborative and collective manner to address food waste. Wasting food that we produce and buy is not only a waste of money but a mismanagement of valuable resources in a time when we all need to make a concerted effort to protect and use our resources wisely.”

Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine said: “We all have a role to play in reducing food waste. I call on all stakeholders in the agri-food sector to sign up to the Food Waste Charter and pledge to participate in collective efforts to reduce food waste and food loss and to help ensure there is accuracy and consistency of measurement of food waste across the food supply chain.

“Food is a precious and valuable resource. Reducing food waste helps our farmers, fishers, other food producers and our processors to be more viable and resilient, will help us to achieve our climate action targets and improve the sustainability of the food sector. When we reduce our food waste, we show our respect for the safe and nutritious food that our primary producers and processors work all year round to provide.”

State Agencies play a key role in supporting the food and drink sector in Ireland. Five State Agencies (Bord Bia, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Enterprise Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and Teagasc) pledged their commitment to the Food Waste Charter.

Businesses that sign up to the Food Waste Charter commit to measure (monitor and track their food waste), reduce (identify and take at least one target-based action to reduce food waste) and report (annually on progress towards measurable outcomes and achievements) on their food waste. For more information, visit foodwastecharter.ie.

Ireland surpasses all EU recycling targets in 2022

IN 2022, Repak surpassed all EU mandated recycling targets and delivered on all key compliance, communication and financial objectives. This was supported by the successful implementation of key policies from the EU Circular Economy Package including Eco Fee Modulation and Net Necessary Cost models for all materials.

This news was announced at the publishing of Repak’s annual report, entitled ‘Packaging Today. Reimagined for Tomorrow’, which confirmed that Repak delivered on all key targets and objectives for Members, and continued education and advocacy on behalf of the Members and wider stakeholders.

Despite significant positive progress being made by Repak members and consumers across all recycling targets for key materials, Repak also announced that current projections forecast Ireland’s plastic recycling rate will fall short of the 2025 50% target set by the EU.

“Despite persistently demanding operational conditions in 2022, the Waste Packaging Recycling Sector demonstrated exceptional efficiency and unity, ensuring uninterrupted service and delivering outstanding results across all materials,” noted Séamus Clancy, Repak CEO. “Our collaboration with stakeholders has been instrumental in Repak's continued success, and we extend our gratitude to the Department of the Environment Climate & Communications (DECC), Environmental Protection Agency, Local Authorities, Regional Planning Offices, and the Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities for their invaluable support.

“However, it must be stated that meeting the 2025 plastic packaging recycling targets is going to be particularly challenging,” he continued. “All materials, apart from plastic, are forecasted to hit the 2025 targets. We at Repak continue to implement EU Circular Economy policies, designed to achieve future recycling targets in a financially prudent and innovative manner. Repak members more than pull their weight by funding the recycling of 100% of the packaging they generate in Ireland and an additional 58,649 (8%) tonnes from other producers. All stakeholders across the waste industry sector must continue to act in the national interest and re-double efforts to achieve 2025 and 2030 recycling targets.”

The Repak CEO called on businesses to embrace best practice recycling process in order to close the plastic recycling gap. Since July 1, 2023, businesses must legally have three bins at their commercial backdoor to help with proper segregation of their packaging and proper use of these bins by all businesses will help close the gap. “We’re also calling for legislative changes: exporters need to be held responsible for 100% of the back door waste they generate and online retailers must start paying for the packaging they place on the Irish market,” Clancy maintained. “Positive legislative changes which hold organisations accountable will improve plastic recycling rates in Ireland and help close the gap to our EU targets.”

In 2022, Repak and Ireland achieved a recycling rate of 63% and recovery rate of 95%.

Repak funded the recycling and recovery of 1,115,042 tonnes of packaging material, surpassing the one million tonnage mark for the fourth time. 759,149 tonnes in total were recycled in 2022, a 6% increase on 2021.

All key materials surpassed current EU recycling targets: Glass at 85% (EU target 60%); Paper/Cardboard 75% (EU target 60%); Plastic 33% (EU target 22.5%); Wood 66% (EU target 15%); Metal 69% (EU target 50%). All materials, apart from plastic, are forecasted to hit the 2025 targets.

Ireland’s overall plastic recycling rate increased from 31% in 2021 to 33% in 2022. Total plastic tonnes recycled in 2022 increased by 7,600 from 2021 to 104,012. It marks the first time that plastic tonnes recycled in Ireland has broken the 100,000-tonnage mark.

An additional €3.4 million was spent on recycling plastic tonnes by Repak in 2022. Overall funding increased by 16% (€4.7 million) to €34 million, reflecting increased volumes of packaging materials being recycled, and increased funding for plastic recycling in Ireland.

During 2022, Repak led a number of key initiatives to ensure that Ireland continues to optimise its recycling of all packaging materials.

The development and Implementation of the Eco Fee Modulation (EFM) and Net Necessary Cost (NNC) models for all materials managed by Repak in 2022 marked a significant step towards promoting sustainable packaging practices. These models were initially introduced for recycled and non-recycled plastics and composites in 2021, but were expanded to include paper, metals, glass and wood in 2022. The purpose of these fees is to incentivise businesses and individuals to reduce their packaging waste and adopt more sustainable alternatives.

Repak's Packaging Design Guide has been instrumental in promoting environmentally friendly packaging solutions and driving behavioural and design changes among its members. The Plastic Pledge Report serves as a tool to assess the impact of the Plastic Pledge Initiative, tracking progress in reducing plastic waste and adopting sustainable packaging options. Together with the introduction of EFM, these initiatives have fostered a positive shift towards more sustainable packaging practices, contributing to the larger goal of reducing waste and minimising environmental impact.

“We are committed to managing your packaging scheme in an environmentally responsible and cost-efficient manner, especially during these challenging times,” concluded Séamus Clancy. “Applying the principle of circularity is a crucial step towards achieving sustainability. By optimising the use of resources, reducing waste, and promoting recycling and reuse, we can together contribute to a more sustainable and efficient packaging system for Ireland.”

To read Repak’s annual report in full, visit repak.ie

Under the Tree since 1963: Spar celebrate 60th birthday

IN celebration of 60 years of business in Ireland, Spar will plant 20,000 trees this year across six sites nationwide as part of their ‘Spar Team Tree’ initiative. In marking this milestone anniversary, ‘Under the Tree since ’63’, Spar has joined forces with the Tree Council of Ireland in identifying sites in Sligo, Waterford, Dublin, Wexford, Wicklow and Galway. Three of the six sites have already been planted with native Irish trees, while the remainder will be planted later in the year. The aim of the sites is to create mature oak woodlands in 100 years’ time, leaving a lasting legacy on the Irish countryside, just as Spar has done in the 60 years its retailers have been operating in communities throughout Ireland. Pictured are Spar retailers, father and son, Ray and Nathan Clarke, along with the third generation of Clarkes, Mason (11), Carly (9) and Jackson (2) celebrating their own legacy with Spar in one of the plantation sites in Garristown, Co. Dublin, alongside Spar Marketing Manager, Helen Lalor, and Brendan Fitzsimons, CEO of the Tree Council of Ireland.

Musgrave roll out HVO to truck fleet

MUSGRAVE have announced the roll-out of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel across their network of almost 500 vehicles. By 2030, half of the Musgrave fleet will operate on alternative fuel, with an overall ambition for the entire fleet to be net zero by 2040. HVO is a completely fossil-free biofuel made from waste, by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption from the food industry; it can be used to power diesel vehicles and provides up to 90% reduction in greenhouse emissions per litre of fuel used. Musgrave will use one million litres of HVO in 2023 across their fleet and plan to use three million litres of HVO by 2025. “Sustainability is at the heart of our business and all that we do; reducing the carbon footprint of our transport network is a major part of this. We are determined to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of our fleet by 50% by 2030, which will pave the way to achieving net zero by 2040,” said Luke Hanlon, Musgrave

2,000 Gaelic footballers for John West Féile Peile na nÓg national finals

NO fewer than 84 club sides, including teams from the US, Europe and the UK, took part in the John West Féile Peile na nÓg National Finals 2023 across 10 venues in Connacht on July 1. The event, which has grown to become one of the biggest underage sporting events in Europe, saw 2,000 Gaelic footballers descend on the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence at Bekan, County Mayo, as well as MacHale Park, Castlebar, and Castlebar Mitchells. Matches were also played at Páirc Seán McDiarmada and Kiltoghert in Co. Leitrim; Tuam, Claregalway and Clonberne in Co. Galway and Castlerea and Tubbercurry in counties Roscommon and Sligo. Meanwhile, 136 teams, comprising 3,000 players, took part in John West Féile na nGael regional finals at 17 venues across Ireland for teams outside the top division on the same day. “John West is passionate about promoting easy and tasty natural nutrition and the company engages with Irish families through Féile,” said John West Ireland Head of Marketing, Anne-Claire Monde. Pictured are Grace Tolster of Simonstown Gaels GFC, Navan, with John West Féile 2023 Ambassador and All-Ireland winning captain Shauna Ennis of Meath at Croke Park.