Zero Waste Alliance Ireland

🚨 The new Irish Government needs to really move quickly and fairly to deliver climate action that meets national and EU commitments. The Programme for Government confirms commitment to legally binding climate targets. While there are SOME positive steps across energy, transport, housing, and agriculture, the policies outlined may not be enough to cut emissions at the necessary pace. Contradictions and gaps could slow progress. At ZWAI, we want to analyse the Programme’s climate commitments in detail to really understand where we stand—stay tuned for our insights. 🌍⚡

In Ireland, the challenge of battery recycling highlights gaps in government policy and infrastructure. Batteries contain hazardous materials like lead, mercury, and cadmium, which can contaminate soil and water if not properly managed. Yet, despite these risks, current recycling rates remain suboptimal. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported a concerning 8% decrease in the collection of electrical waste and electronic equipment (WEEE), including batteries, in 2022 compared to 2021. This decline indicates a need for stronger regulatory measures to ensure proper disposal and recycling. Ireland must prioritize investment in nationwide recycling infrastructure, stricter enforcement of producer responsibility schemes, and public awareness campaigns. Countries leading in battery recycling have implemented policies that incentivise manufacturers to design batteries for easier recycling and fund robust collection systems. By adopting similar policies, Ireland can not only reduce environmental risks but also align with EU circular economy goals. It’s time for stronger action to ensure hazardous waste like batteries is responsibly managed at a national level.

📊 Where does our plastic waste go? 🌍 In the past 20 years, waste management practices have improved—but have they improved enough? Here’s how global plastic management has changed between 2000 and 2019: Landfill: Remained relatively stable, decreasing slightly from around 65% in 2000 to 60% in 2019 (a ~5% reduction). Incineration: Increased from approximately 15% to 20% (a ~5% rise). Recycled: More than doubled, growing from 5% to 10% (a ~5% increase). Mismanaged: Dropped significantly from 20% in 2000 to under 5% in 2019 (a ~15% reduction). While recycling has improved over the past 20 years, the progress remains disappointingly slow. Even more concerning is the rise in incineration. While the reduction in mismanaged waste is a step in the right direction, we have a long way to go to build a truly sustainable and circular waste system. 🌍

🌍 Parma Leads the Way in Waste Management 🌟 In Northern Italy, the city of Parma has become a great example of innovative waste management, achieving an impressive 80% recyclable waste collection rate—far surpassing the EU's 2025 target of 55%. 👏 How Did They Do It? 1️⃣ Stringent Rules: Parma enforces strict waste separation and disposal regulations, with fines for those who don’t comply. 2️⃣ Surveillance Technology: Advanced monitoring systems ensure that waste is correctly sorted. 3️⃣ Incentives for Households: Residents are charged based on the amount of non-recyclable waste they produce, encouraging better habits. 4️⃣ Community Engagement: Continuous public education campaigns inspire a shared commitment to sustainability. 🇮🇪 Ireland’s Reality Check Ireland's recycling rate has stagnated at 41% for municipal waste, and plastic packaging recycling stands at 32%, far below the EU target of 50% by 2025. 😔 On average, Ireland produces 3.2 million tonnes of municipal waste annually, with over 40% incinerated and 15% sent to landfill. Parma’s success shows us that with the right policies, effective monitoring, and community incentives, transformative change is possible. It’s time to follow Parma's lead and aim higher for a cleaner, greener future. 🌱 #ZeroWasteIreland #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #WasteManagement

Your choices for 2025 ↔️ What will they be? 🤨 ➡️ In a world full of a cacophony of negativity, bad leadership and unintentional choices... 💪🏽... choose for the symphony of conscious living. The R-evolution is NOT about recycling: ♻️ it's a cascade of conscious choices: from rethinking (y)our needs to refusing single-use towards real regeneration. Your next choice can be the ripple that creates waves of change. Agree? 👆🏽Join my newsletter or DM for projects 📲 #CircularEconomy #ZeroWaste #Sustainability

🌍 Ambitious Targets, But Are We Falling Short? 🌱 As we welcome the new year, it’s time to reflect on our environmental goals. The EU has set ambitious targets for a circular economy: 65% recycling for all packaging waste and 50% for plastic packaging by 2025. These steps are vital for a sustainable future, but Ireland is at risk of falling behind. 🇮🇪 Recycling rates have stagnated over the last decade, and plastic recycling remains far below target. The EPA warns that without stronger action, we won’t meet these goals. This year, let’s push for change! 💪 By improving waste management, investing in circular economy solutions, and making smarter choices, we can build a greener, cleaner future together. 🌟 #CircularEconomy #RecyclingGoals #ZeroWasteIreland

🌍🎨 Join us for an online workshop! 🎭✊ 🗓 Tuesday, January 21st @ 7 PM – 8:30PM Hosted by Feminist Communities for Climate Justice and led by @cearacarney (of @bookofleavespodcast & @extinctionrebellionireland). Discover how to use creativity to amplify climate actions and make headlines: 🎭 Learn to employ props, characters, puns, and press releases 🖌 Engage the media and boost your impact 💡 Unleash your imagination for climate justice This 90-minute online workshop is perfect for activists, creatives, and changemakers looking to make a difference. 📌 Register now: https://lght.ly/hfng426 🌎💚 #FeministClimateJustice

🌍 Stop Exporting Our Waste Problem 🌍 Sadly, a significant portion of Ireland's waste is shipped abroad, often to underdeveloped countries. This practice offloads our environmental responsibility onto nations with fewer resources to handle the impacts, creating pollution, health risks, and exploitation. 🔴 The Reality: Instead of investing in sustainable waste management and recycling infrastructure, Ireland relies heavily on exporting waste. Many of these shipments end up in countries where waste is burned, dumped, or poorly managed, causing devastating environmental and social impacts. ♻️ What Needs to Change: We need bold action from the government to: End Waste Exports: Ban the export of waste to countries that cannot process it sustainably. Improve Infrastructure: Invest in modern recycling and waste treatment facilities within Ireland. Prioritise Circular Economy Policies: Promote reusable and sustainable alternatives to reduce waste generation Join ZWAI today and aid us in lobbying for stronger policies to stop waste exports and invest in solutions within Ireland. We must take responsibility for the waste we generate and stop passing the problem onto others. Let’s push for a cleaner, fairer, and more sustainable future! #ZeroWaste #EndWasteExports #CircularEconomy #EnvironmentalJustice #SustainableIreland #ActNow

🌍 As we step into 2025, former EU environment chief Janez Potočnik urges us not to lose sight of the climate crisis. In a powerful call to action, he warns against backsliding on commitments and emphasises that delays today will cost us more tomorrow—economically and environmentally. Let’s ensure this year is one of progress, not regression, toward a sustainable future. https://lnkd.in/eRkXA_bE #ClimateAction #Sustainability #Leadership

For all our underfunded collective efforts carefully growing and planting seedlings to create or restore forests to address both the biodiversity and climate crises, criminals destroy entire intact mega-diverse rainforests, with the loss of whole populations of countless species and massive carbon stores going up in smoke. Brazil is a signatory of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. How is it going to fully restore Nature at least back to what it was in 2020 by 2030 with this rate of destruction? We're halfway through the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. We have a huge effort in front of us to restore degraded landscapes and ecosystems. Shouldn't we at least stop destroying what is left?