Repak Recycling Awards 2007

Re-useable packaging, compostable, flexible food packaging, zero waste to landfill, fixed packaging reduction targets and geothermal heating systems are just some of the initiatives that were commended in this year's 6th Annual Repak Awards.

The awards were presented at a gala dinner attended by Mr John Gormley TD, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and were attended by over 350 delegates - including Repak members, politicians, nominated local authorities and waste contractors.

Commenting, Andrew Hetherington, CEO, Repak, said - "The Repak Recycling Awards are imperative in highlighting the importance of recycling and also the exemplar work in packaging reduction, which does not always get highlighted. What most people don't realise is that there are resounding benefits to recycling and prevention/reduction of packaging.

"Not only is recycling beneficial for the environment, it also greatly reduces costs and it improves the green reputation of the organisation. Ireland is constantly increasing recycling levels and, with schools also being recognised in the awards, the future looks bright for recycling in Ireland."

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr. John Gormley, T.D. said - "Ireland has seen a recycling revolution over the last decade. Repak and its members deserve great credit for their achievements over the past ten years - but, the time has come for industry to build on our past successes and be more ambitious about tackling waste prevention and packaging waste litter.

"Packaging waste recycling is, in many ways, the Irish environmental success story of the past ten years and Repak has been at the heart of this story - driving the phenomenal growth in recycling" - continued the Minister. "Over that period, Repak and its members - working in partnership with my Department, local authorities, the Environmental Protection Agency and waste operators - have helped to make recycling part of our normal day-to-day life."

However, the Minister also expressed the view that householders are demanding more when it comes to packaging and he challenged industry to meet these demands. "In the UK, retailers are responding to consumers' concerns about climate change and packaging waste by adopting a range of measures under the Courtauld Commitment to support targets for the prevention and minimisation of packaging, to make packaging more recyclable and to reduce reliance on landfill" - the Minister noted.

"Tonight, I am challenging Irish industry - if it can be done in the UK, why not here? This would be good news for everyone - your customers want it, your costs will be reduced and it's good for the environment."

The Minister also challenged industry to consider options for improving the recovery and recycling rates for cans, bottles and other beverage containers - and, in so doing, reduce litter from packaging waste.

"Cans and bottles are a highly visible form of litter on our streets or in the countryside"" - said the Minister. "The National Litter Surveys for the past few years have shown packaging waste litter to be a persistent problem. I recently raised the on-the-spot fine for littering - but usually, to solve a problem, a carrot is needed as well as a stick.

"I would like industry to think about how it might improve recovery rates for cans and plastic drinks bottles - and other beverage containers - and help reduce our litter problem. This is an opportunity for industry to set targets in these areas and decide how best to achieve them."

The Minister - addressing Repak's role in advancing these objectives - commented - "Repak is the only organisation whose sole function is to improve recycling rates and, as such, I want to see Repak co-ordinating all sectors of industry in meeting the challenges that I am laying down."

Louth County Council was honoured as Repak Local Authority of the Year and Cork County Council was awarded Local Authority Initiative of the Year for their Bandon Civic Amenity Site.

O'Reilly's Centra Foodmarket, Bunclody, Co. Wexford managed to recycle 77% of its waste in 2006 - reducing its waste management bill by 42% - which made them worthy winners of the Best Practice Award in the Independent Retail Sector. The Best Practice accolade in the Hospitality Sector was presented to Fitzgerald's Woodland House Hotel in Adare, Co. Limerick, while Lakeland Dairies won Repak Member of the Year by reducing its landfill from 717 tonnes to 28 tonnes - a massive 97% reduction.

The Small Recovery Operator of the Year Award went to Clean Ireland refuse and Recycling in County Clare, while the Large Recovery Operator of the Year honour was handed to Panda Waste Services, who are better known for their recent entry into the domestic Dublin waste market.

Repak continued to acknowledge recycling among the youth by naming Aglish NS in Cappoquin, Co. Waterford as Recycling School of the Year. St. Catherine's College Armagh won Young Recyclers of the Year (Junior section) for their project - 'Green Christmas and Recycle Light'. The Senior Young Recyclers of the Year section was won by Scoil Mhuire, Athy, Co. Kildare for their project highlighting waste management, entitled - 'Help stop excess waste and make people aware of recycling facilities in our area'.

The sixth Annual Repak Recycling Awards 2007, took place in true style in Dublin's Four Seasons Hotel. Mary Kennedy was the evening's MC and Risteard Cooper - of Aprés Match fame - wrapped up the evening with a well received sketch of his well-known and best-loved characters.

Awards Winners

The winner of the Repak Excellence Award 2007 was Tesco Ireland.

Tesco Ireland has demonstrated strong leadership in the protection of the environment through its strategy to minimise its carbon footprint and address crucial environmental concerns through recycling, packaging reduction and sustainable energy use.

In-store energy consumption will be reduced by 50% and Energy Champions will be appointed to all stores, while state-of-the art automated recycling machines will be introduced to the store network. Tesco are showing that major retailers can care both for the environment and for consumers' needs in a highly practical way and, as such, are the first winners of the Repak Excellence Award.

The finalists were - Britvic Ireland; Lakeland Dairies Co-Operative Society; Symantec Ltd.

The winner of the Repak Member of the Year 2007 was Lakeland Dairies Co-Operative Society.

Now Ireland's second-largest dairy processing co-operative, Lakeland Dairies is a market-led, innovation-focused manufacturer of superior quality dairy-derived products for clients throughout the world.

Unbelievably, no waste has been sent to landfill, as yet, in this calendar year.

Repak Best Packaging Waste Prevention Initiative 2007 Sponsored by EPA

The finalists were - Georgia Pacific Ltd; H. J. Heinz Co. Ltd; Jacob Fruitfield Food Group.

The winner of the Repak Best Packaging Waste Prevention Initiative 2007 was H. J. Heinz Co. Ltd.

Heinz has been operating in Ireland since 1993 and now employs more than 400 staff with annual sales of £55 million from a range of prepared frozen meals.

Repak Best Practice Award 2007 - Large Company Sponsored by EPA

The finalists were - Alcan Packaging Dublin; Lakeland Dairies Co-Operative Society; McDonalds Restaurants Ireland.

The winner of the Repak Best Practice Award 2007 - Large Company was Alcan Packaging Dublin.

Alcan Packaging Dublin, specialists in the printing of food flexible packaging, has operated in Finglas for over 50 years and have achieved international standards such as ISO 14001, ISO 18001 and ISO 9001.

Repak Member of the Year in 2005, Alcan continue to show commitment to the environment and their locality and are worthy recipients of this year's Repak best practice award.

The finalists were - Garveys SuperValu, Cobh, Co. Cork; Murphy's Centra, Waterford City; O'Reilly's Centra, Bunclody, Co. Wexford.

The winner of the Repak Best Practice Award 2007 - Independent Retail Sector was O'Reilly's Centra, Bunclody, Co. Wexford.

Joe O'Reilly's relatively small Centra Supermarket in the picturesque Co. Wexford town of Bunclody is a real eye-opener in terms of attention to detail when it comes to waste management.

The finalists were - Blue Haven Hotel, Kinsale, Co. Cork; Maryborough House Hotel, Douglas, Co. Cork; Woodlands House Hotel, Adare, Co. Limerick.

The winner of the Repak Best Practice Award 2007 - Hospitality Sector was Woodlands House Hotel, Adare, Co. Limerick.

Fitzgerald's Woodlands House Hotel is busy family-run hotel in Adare, Co.Limerick. The Hotel has 92 bedrooms, a restaurant, bar-bistro, extensive banqueting facilities and a health and leisure spa.

The finalists were - Fingal County Council; Leitrim County Council; Louth County Council.

The winnner of the Repak Local Authority of the Year 2007 was Louth County Council.

The finalists were - Cork County Council - Bandon CA site; Fingal County Council - Estuary Recycling Centre; Louth County Council - Drogheda Recycling Centre.

The winner of the Repak Local Authority Initiative of the Year 2007 was Cork County Council - Bandon CA site.

Bandon Civic Amenity Facility commenced accepting recyclable materials in December 2005.

This reduces transport costs and makes the material more attractive to processors. Green waste is also accepted and composted on site.

The finalists were - Greenstar Ltd; Greyhound Recycling; Mr. Binman Ltd; Panda Waste Services.

The winnner of the Repak Recovery Operator of the Year 2007 - Large Company was Panda Waste Services.

Established in 1973, Panda Waste has grown to become one of Ireland's most innovative recycling companies.

In 2007, Smurfit's Recycling, Ballymount, Dublin was acquired to facilitate the company's planned expansion into the recovery of dry recyclables and packaging.

The finalists were - Clean Ireland Recycling; Greenguard Recycling Ltd; Leinster Environmentals; McElvaney's Waste and Recycling.

the winner of the Repak Recovery Operator Of the Year 2007 - Small/Medium Company was Clean Ireland Recycling.

The finalists were - Aglish National School; Convent Primary School; Corrandulla National School;

The winner of the Repak Recycling School of the Year 2007 (in association with An Taisce) was Aglish National School.

Aglish NS is 4-teacher school with approximately 60 students. Principal Ronan Culloo and the rest of the school have been awarded the Green Flag on an impressive 3 occasions and are currently working to receive their fourth during the current school year.

The winner of the Repak Young Recyclers of the Year - Junior (in association with ECO UNESCO) was St. Catherines College, Armagh.

This group of young people brainstormed what environmental issues were of concern to them and chose waste as their project.

The winner of the Repak Young Recyclers of the Year - Senior (in association with ECO UNESCO) was Scoil Mhuire, Athy, Co. Kildare.

As part of this year's Youth Eco Awards, Scoil Mhuire chose waste management, as they believed it to be a growing concern for the planet.

Minister Gormley congratulated the awards winners, saying - "The Repak Awards honour the most progressive, forward-thinking measures in relation to packaging waste prevention, minimisation and recycling being taken by producers, local authorities and waste operators around the country. I am grateful to everyone who took part for their efforts in setting the standards for the rest of us. It's very gratifying to see real action on the environment and to see it being acknowledged publicly in such a high-profile manner."

Repak

Repak is a not-for-profit members-based packaging compliance scheme - currently Ireland's only producer responsibility scheme - which was established under a voluntary agreement between industry and the Department of the Environment and Local Government in 1997.

It was created as industry's response to the obligations placed on Ireland by the EU directive on Packaging Waste (94/62/EC) and is the only government-approved compliance scheme under the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 1997.

Repak succeeded in reaching - and exceeding - Ireland's National Recycling Target of 25% of packaging waste in 2001 and 50% in 2005 - as set by the EU directive.

Repak runs a variety of educational initiatives - such as the Repak Recycling Week in October, the Repak Green Christmas and the Repak National Conference. It is also a sponsor of An Taisce's National Spring Clean campaign, the Tidy Towns Competition and the schools-based Repak Cash for Cans programme.

Repak membership fees are used to subsidise the collection of used packaging in Ireland, through the network of over 2,250 bring banks, over 90 recycling centres and household kerbside collection schemes - which reach in excess 937,000 Irish households.