Packaging Waste and the Pub Trade

All producers of packaging must segregate plastic wrapping, cardboard, drums. This their waste packaging arising on their own packaging must be collected by a permitted premises into specified waste streams e.g. waste recovery operator for recycling. waste glass, paper, aluminium, steel, fibreboard, wood, and plastic wrapping. An authorised waste collector should collect this What if nobody is willing to take it for free? waste for recycling. The costs of collecting glass/cans and transporting them for recovery are substantial Packaging sold and consumed on producer’s Mayo County Council so the Collection and Recovery Operators will premises come within the scope of the have costs. regulations e.g. bottles and drink cans However, to dispose of the glass/cans will also sold and consumed in pubs, hotels, and cost money. For example, in the Mayo area the restaurants. landfill gate-fee is €150 per tonne including the Landfill Levyii. To this must be added transport costs and V.A.T. on the overall Packaging Waste: - amount. The net result is that disposal cost of a Glass bottles and drink cans are defined as 240 wheel-bin loaded with glass bottles Packaging Waste and therefore this form of exceeds the cost of recovery without ensuring waste must be managed in compliance with the compliance with the law. Consequently paying Packaging Waste Regulations. an operator to recover and recycle the waste Packaging Waste and the Pub Trade Those in the bar trade have a particular glass enables compliance with the law and responsibility to manage this fraction of waste makes economic and environmental sense too. Legal Background: - made up from non-returnable bottles and drink The Waste Management Act 1996, was the cans in keeping with the law since its Why can’t I use the nearest Bring Bank? first all embracing framework governing waste introduction on the 1st March 2003. Since that The producer of waste must pay for its management. This Act enabled the Minister for date it is no longer legal for businesses (the management. The Local Authority is not the Environment & Local Government to regulations call them a ‘producer’) to dispose obliged to collect packaging waste from introduce a wide range of Waste Management of glass bottles/drink cans in landfill. commercial producers. You must manage your Regulations. Among these were Regulations own waste and make proper arrangements, dealing directly with Packaging Wastei. What must Vintner do? which comply with the law. Even though you Packaging waste regulations were initially The purpose of the Regulations and the landfill pay rates you cannot use the network of Bring introduced in 1997 under the Waste bans are to maximise the amounts of glass/can Banks provided by the Local Authority. These Management Act, 1996. From the introduction waste being recovered and eliminate the are specifically provided for use by of new legislation packaging waste is now disposal of glass in landfill. The “producer” is householders and are not for use by business. regulated by the Waste Management obliged to separate packaging waste into To use them would mean that those vintners (Packaging) Regulations 2003 as amended. different categories i.e. glass, drink cans, who comply with their legal obligations were paper, plastic and pallets. You must separate subsidising those who do not! Why is the law being enforced now? these materials, store them properly and make The Waste Management Act requires the Local similar arrangements for these waste streams What should I do with glass/drink cans Authorities to draw up and implement Waste with appropriate collectors or transport them then? Management Plans. The six authoritiesiii in yourself to recovery facilities. You should look at ways of reducing your Connaught came together as a region and waste. Ask your supplier for reusable bottles. adopted an integrated waste management plan. How do I find out more about it? Sort these and return them with each new This PLAN identifies packaging waste as a You should make every effort to contact delivery. priority. It is essential that the maximum suitable licensed waste collectors to manage Contact a collector to recycle all your non- amount of this waste stream is recovered, your glass waste and drink cans. The collector returnable bottles and drink cans. There are a recycled and diverted from Landfill. will tell you what is needed. number of recovery operators working in the Mayo area who recover glass/cans from Pubs, What are other Pubs & Clubs doing? For further information contact the Sharon Clubs, hotels, and restaurants. You should Schemes are successfully operating in other Cameron, Environment Section, Mayo County contact these immediately and make areas throughout the country. As stated above Council, 094-9024444 or arrangements to have your waste glass and there are already operators in the Mayo area. drink cans to be recovered. It probably will There are other operators in Leitrim, Galway involve costs similar to the cost of disposal but and Sligo. These schemes have succeeded in www.connaughtwaste.ie it will enable compliance and environmental recovering thousands of tonnes of glass since protection. they started. The onus is on you to manage your waste in Remember compliance with the law. What else should I do? You have an obligation to maximise the Its your environment Clearly if a number of business' come together amount of your packaging waste being in an area, collection and recovery costs may recovered. This includes cardboard, drink cans You can make a difference. be reduced. i S.I. No. 242/1997: Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations, 1997 and S.I. No. 382 of 1998.Waste Management (Packaging)(Amendment) Regulations, 1998. ii S.I. No. 86/2002 Waste Management (Landfill Levy) Regulations 2002. iii The following local authorities came together to form a Connaught Region with regard to waste management planning in compliance with the Waste Management (Planning) Regulations. They are the counties of Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo and Galway City Council. A common plan was adopted in 2001.