According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) less household waste is being collected at the kerbside and more is being deposited at civic amenity sites and bring banks, while kerbside collection of mixed dry recyclables has increased by 7%. The figures show that people in Ireland are making more use of recycling facilities made available to them by local authorities, the EPA says.

Figures in the recently published National Waste Report 2006 show the rate at which Irish householders are recycling.

Recycling rates are outstripped by a continued growth in the quantity of waste generated This puts Ireland in danger of missing its 2010 target for diverting biodegradable municipal waste away from landfill, in line with the targets set by the EU.

Dr. Mary Kelly, Director General of the EPA, said:

“This is going to be a major challenge for Ireland in the years ahead and it is important that we put in place long-term sustainable solutions that encourage waste prevention on the one hand and greater use of the resource value of biodegradable waste on the other,” she said.