International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

The EEA report identifies the role of the compliance scheme in packaging waste
prevention:
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“The weight-based Repak fee is an incentive for prevention, since it makes
companies responsible for the amount of packaging placed on the market”.
A stimulus for packaging minimisation and prevention also comes from internal cost
reduction assessments undertaken by companies proactively. Repak provides
guidance to its members with regard to packaging reduction and prevention.
The incentives for companies to reduce and minimise packaging come both from the
regulatory side in terms of the fees associated with packaging regulations compliance
and from the basis of profit saving and cost effectiveness of their operations.
The National Waste Prevention programme is described in more detail in Annex 18.0.
Under the auspices of the overall EPA waste prevention programme, the EPA and
Repak launched The Packaging Waste Prevention Programme (PWPP) in 2007. The
Packaging Waste Prevention Programme was announced as having an initial
programme budget of €200,000, to be co - funded by the EPA and Repak, with the
objective of the programme being to help Irish industry reduce the amount of
packaging on their products.
The proposed measures within the EPA/ Repak Packaging Waste Prevention
Programme were detailed in the press release announcing the launch of the
programme: 231
� A series of awareness raising seminars;
� A what is best practice packaging website;
� A supply chain benchmarking study;
� Exemplar best practice case studies;
� Consumer research study on packaging preferences and purchase behaviour;
� Packaging Design Awards aimed at promoting examples of best practice;
� Development of a carbon footprint calculator for member companies; and
� Development of a interactive householder carbon footprint calculator.
We understand that the Programme is currently suspended due to lack of funding.
The absence of packaging prevention objectives being identified in national policy
creates difficulties at the level of Local Authority regulation in that enforcement
officers do not have a straightforward set of criteria for enforcement activities against
which they could take action – whilst it is not part of the packaging regulations policy,
it is nevertheless important to highlight the existence of the EPA/Repak Packaging
Waste Prevention Programme, as it is the only visible initiative within the
administrative framework that specifically focuses on packaging prevention. Although
231 Slattery Communications / Eoin Kennedy (14 March 2007) Repak and EPA Launch the First
Packaging Waste Prevention Programme.
International Review of Waste Policy: Annexes