With countless eggs being torn into, and their plastic packaging dumped carelessly in a sugar rush, it can be easy to forget what rubbish goes in what bin at Easter.
New research of 1,000 adults in Ireland was carried out by environmental not-for-profit organisation, Repak, to examine the nation's Easter spending habits as well as awareness of what packaging can be recycled.
This weekend, Irish residents are expected to recycle over 62,000 tonnes of packaging waste – a 1.8% increase on the 60,900 tonnes recycled in 2023.
Easter marks one of the busiest times of the year across the country for waste recovery operators, which is why it's so important that all packaging including cardboard boxes, plastic moulds, chocolate trays and clean tin foil are all placed in the recycling bin clean, dry and loose.
Happily, an overwhelming majority (88%) said that they felt confident in their recycling abilities when it comes to disposing Easter egg packaging.
However, when asked how much of their Easter egg packaging they would recycle, just three in five (59%) stated they planned to recycle all of it.
A quarter (25%) said they would recycle the cardboard box and plastic insert, while one in ten said they would only recycle the outer cardboard packaging. Just 2% said they didn't plan to recycle at all.
It seems that Easter eggs remain the gift of choice for 62% of people, with just 35% planning to buy alternative gifts. However, 88% admit recyclable packaging is not the most important consideration when it comes to buying an Easter egg, with 51% focusing on the type of chocolate.
Good recycling habits
Separating waste into their correct bins is key to effective recycling to ensure we are all contributing to a circular economy and reducing our environmental impact.
Despite 88% initially saying they were confident in their recycling abilities, just over half (52%) correctly answered what items can go in the recycling bin which includes plastic containers, plastic water bottles, plastic shopping bags, paper, cardboard, tins, cans and foil - once they are clean, dry and loose.
Although confidence in the nation’s ability to recycle correctly is high, a high proportion don’t know exactly what can go in our recycling bins. Since 2021, all plastics can go into the recycling bin.
Egg-cellent recycling tips
1. Re-imagine Easter egg boxes this season and re-use for arts and crafts.
2. Chocolate trays are rigid plastic and can be placed in your recycling bin. Once you enjoy that last piece of chocolate, make sure you bin it right!
3. Once you’ve enjoyed all your chocolate eggs, be sure to dispose of the cardboard boxes into the recycle bin – clean, dry and loose.
For more recycling hints and tips, visit repak.ie to find out more.
