Recycling target achieved eight years ahead of schedule
Ireland's national and EU targets on recycling have been achieved eight years ahead of schedule, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
In its latest National Waste Report, the agency says Ireland recycled 35% of its rubbish in 2005.
The Government had set 2013 as the target date for achieving this rate, which is up from just 9% in 1998.
The total amount of waste recycled in 2005 was 964,000 tonnes, an almost six-fold increase on the 1998 figure.
Despite the increase, the Government is being criticised for sending the vast majority of the country's recycling waste abroad for processing.
The business group IBEC says Ireland is losing out on significant employment and economic opportunities by failing to process the material domestically.
