Accelerating the circular economy

The Government’s new circular economy strategy aims to reduce Ireland’s circularity gap from 98 per cent to 88 per cent by 2030.

The Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy 2026-2028: Accelerating Action, published in February 2026, is aimed at reducing exposure to resource price shocks and supply chain risks. It sets seven core objectives:

• increase circular material use rate by 2 per cent each year, reaching 12 per cent by 2030;
• support economic expansion while improving resource productivity and reducing dependency on virgin raw materials;
• strengthen the State’s position as a centre for sustainable design, advanced manufacturing, and innovative circular business models to enhance competitiveness in domestic and export markets;
• ensure the benefits of the circular transition are shared by communities and workers;
• empower people to make sustainable, cost-effective lifestyle choices;
• support local authorities in developing “coordinated, community-level circular initiatives”; and
• establish digitalisation as an enabler of the circular economy by businesses adopting digital tools including digital product passports, traceability, and resource optimisation systems.

The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model is to be mandated for priority sectors and expanded to cover emerging waste streams. Under this model, producers are responsible for financing the collection and environmentally sound waste management of their products at end of life.

Delivery of the strategy is to be overseen by a cross-departmental oversight group chaired by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment. Circular economy progress reports are to be presented to the Oireachtas annually. A circular economy advisory group is also to be established to coordinate policy delivery.

Built environment

The built environment accounts for nearly half of the State’s domestic material extraction and generates almost two-thirds of its waste. The strategy actions the development of a national building renovation plan, stating that it will be submitted by 31 December 2026.

It sets targets to publish a circularity roadmap for the construction sector in 2026 and to achieve a 12 per cent reduction in construction and demolition waste arisings by 2030. The strategy also sets a target to achieve a 45 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from commercial and public buildings by 2030 compared to 2018.

Bioeconomy

The strategy says 41 per cent of the State’s total material extraction comes from biomass. It sets an action to determine the rate of reuse, recovery, and recycling of bio-based materials. The strategy also sets an aim to transpose the revised Waste Framework Directive, which includes binding food waste reduction targets, by June 2027.

Key targets set in the strategy include publication of a national bioeconomy strategy and a national food waste prevention roadmap, both in 2026. It also sets a target to work towards UN sustainable development goal (SDG)12.3. SDG 12.3 sets an aim to halve per capita global food waste at retail and consumer level, and to reduce food losses along production and supply chains.

Additionally, the strategy sets an aim to reduce by 10 per cent the generation of food waste in processing and manufacturing in comparison to the amount of food waste generated as an annual average between 2021 and 2023.

Retail

The strategy sets an aim to publish the final Food Circle Project reports in the first half of 2026. The reports were published in July 2026 alongside the draft version of Ireland’s National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap 2026-2028.

Under the strategy, by February 2027, food service providers must provide consumers with the option to bring their own containers for hot or cold beverages and ready-prepared food “at no extra cost or under less favourable conditions than single-use options”.

By February 2028, these services must offer reusable packaging options for takeaway items without a surcharge compared to single-use packaging. A target is also set under this theme to work towards SDG 12.3.

Packaging

Approximately 1.2 million tonnes of plastic waste were generated by the State in 2023. The State also has among the highest levels of plastic packaging waste per capita in the EU.

The strategy sets an aim for 70 per cent of all packaging to be recycled in line with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. Numerous actions in the plan align with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which came into effect in August 2026. Such actions include promoting reusable and refillable packaging systems, and implementation of a harmonised labelling system.

The strategy sets a target to establish a reuse matchmaker platform connecting businesses generating reusable packaging flows with those seeking supply. Under the Single Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), targets are set to collect 77 per cent of plastic bottles by 2025 and 90 per cent by 2029.

Textiles

The State has one of the highest per capita consumption rates of textile products in the EU, consuming 53kg per person annually. The strategy sets a target to publish the national policy statement and roadmap on circular textiles and to initiate progress on actions in 2026.

It also sets targets to establish an EPR scheme for textiles and develop an associated collection system by April 2028. The strategy also sets a target to reduce to 4 per cent the volume of textiles in household residual waste and recycling bins by 2031.

Electronics and electronic equipment

In 2023, 63,946 tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) were collected for treatment in the State. The strategy sets a target for the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) to launch a new framework for the management of ICT equipment by 2027.

A target is set to ensure a minimum of 80 per cent of ICT end-user products procured by public sector bodies under new contract arrangements have EPEAT Gold Standard or TCO certification, or will have been remanufactured.

The strategy also sets an aim to ensure electronics and electronic equipment contribute proportionately to the National Waste Management Plan for a circular economy target of 20kg per person annually of reuse.