Packaging Regulations

Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 2003 - 2007 as amended

How we manage our waste is critical to the state of our environment.  Year-on-year, waste volumes continue to grow.  We now have a waste crisis because of the cost of disposal and the need to move away from landfill disposal.

Certain wastes are described as Specified Packaging Waste which must be separated and recycled.  Specified Packaging Wastes include:

  • Glass
  • Aluminium and steel
  • Paper
  • Wood
  • Fireboard (modified wood products)
  • Plastic sheeting (shrinkwrap, balewrap, etc.)

The importance of separating and recycling these materials must be acknowledged by all and a particular effort made to divert them away from landfill.

Each local authority will now be responsible for the enforcement of the Packaging Regulations within their functional areas and must take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that packaging waste targets are achieved.

Commercial premises that produce waste have strict requirements under the Regulations:

  • A waste producer must segregate their specified packaging waste arising on their premises into the component waste streams of glass paper, fireboard, wood, plastic sheeting, aluminium and steel.
  • A waste producer must then present the separated wastes for collection by a recovery operator, for the purposes of recovery.
  • A waste producer has an obligation to ensure that the recovery operator holds all the necessary licenses and permits.
  • A waste producer must not contaminate specified packaging waste e.g. store and present separated waste in a manner that renders it unrecoverable.
  • To comply with these requirements, a waste producer must immediately make arrangements with a recovery operator to ensure compliance with the regulations.

Waste collectors also have responsibilities under the Regulations:

  • A waste collector must not service a waste producer who does not sort his specified packaging waste from his waste going for disposal.
  • A waste collector must recover all specified packaging waste that they collect.
  • A waste collector also has a duty to prevent specified packaging waste being contaminated.
  • To enable a waste collector to continue to collect waste legally, they will have to make arrangements with all commercial customers to ensure compliance with these new regulations.

One fundamental change arising from the Regulations pertains to the recycling of glass waste produced by the Pubs, Clubs and Hotel trade.  The Regulations clarify this particular matter.

In many parts of the county, Vintner Groups have been acting responsibly by ensuring the recycling of glass waste.  Now, every such outlet will have to make similar private arrangements for the collection and recycling of glass. 

Please note that within County Sligo, the bring bank network is a service for domestic/household glass only.
 

Key Notes

Sligo County Council, as the Waste Authority within the functional area of County Sligo, wish to inform all waste producers, collectors and landfill operators of their obligations under the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 2007.

Sectors affected are those who produce, collect and dispose of specified packaging waste of which there are three main groups:

  • The Producer:
    Regulations require all businesses to segregate packaging waste arising on their      premises for collection by a recovery operator, for the purposes of recovery.
  • The Collector:
    A recovery operator is required not to landfill specified packaging waste, which has      been presented and collected for the purposes of recovery.
  • The Landfill Operator:
    These regulations require that specified packaging waste shall not be landfilled by any other person and in particular a Local Authority cannot accept such material for landfilling.

Specified Packaging Waste

Glass, Aluminium steel, paper, fibreboard (modified wood products), wood and plastic sheeting (shrink wrap, plastic film etc.)

Producer Responsibility

All commercial premises must:         

  • Segregate their specified packaging waste arising on their premises into the component waste streams
  • Present these separated wastes for collection by a recovery operator, for the purposes of recovery.
  • Ensure that the Recovery Operator holds all the necessary licenses and permits.
  • Must not contaminate specified packaging waste e.g. store and present separated waste in a manner that renders it unrecoverable.
  • Immediately make arrangements with a recovery operator to ensure compliance with the Regulations.

Collector Responsibility

A Collector:

  • Cannot service a waste producer who does not sort specified packaging waste from waste going for disposal
  • Must recover all specified packaging waste
  • Must not contaminate specified packaging waste
  • Immediately make arrangements with all commercial customers to ensure compliance with the Waste management (Packaging) Regulations 2007.