3 ways Ireland’s new Circular Economy Strategy benefits you

Reusable takeaway packaging

Single use takeaway containers, bottles and coffee cups have long been a huge source of waste for food businesses and customers. We all have that cupboard at home, filled with plastic tupperware that once held a single portion of fried rice.

From February 2027, food serving establishments will have to allow customers to bring their own containers for takeaway food at no additional cost. Better yet, by 2028 these businesses must also offer their own reusable packaging options and inform customers of them.

The new strategy also outlines future plans to reduce packaging waste, including possible bans on packaging of unprocessed fruit and vegetables, single-serve condiment portions when eating in, and packaging grouping of items for sale, meaning less single-use plastic for you from 2030.

This is a great step towards reducing waste and enjoying that mid week takeaway guilt free.

More public water fountains

According to Refill.ie, Irish adults each spend more than €200 a year on bottled water. So, choosing reusable bottles and cups instead of single-use plastics add up to real savings.

The new strategy will see Ireland commit to installing 84 new outdoor drinking water fountains each year, up from 43 fountains installed at the start of the project last year. That means more places to fill up your reusable bottle when out and about. These will add to the existing refill points across the country that can be found on Refill.ie’s Tap Map, making it easier than ever to find drinking water fountains wherever you are.

Vouchers for repair

To encourage people to choose repair over replacement, Ireland is planning a pilot repair voucher scheme.

To be rolled out next year, the public will be able to register online, receive a voucher to repair an item and then get them repaired at a subsidised rate at “certified repair and refurbish outlets”, according to Minister Alan Dillon. With the Circular Economy Innovation Grant Scheme funding scheme increasing from €650,000 to €1.5 million, further business supports could also follow.

Encouraging more repairs in this way might make us think twice before recycling our broken kitchen appliances or discarding old clothes. Replacing elements like batteries or broken zippers could mean extending the life of our belongings by years, in turn saving us money and reducing products going to landfill.

Find out where to repair near you here on circular.ie and repairmystuff.ie