The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alison Gilliland, and the Minister of State for the Circular Economy Ossian Smyth TD joined Country Manager of Coca-Cola Ireland Agnese Filippi, and environmental charity Hubbub, to announce the expansion of the Dublin #CircleCity campaign.
First launched in October 2020, the campaign aims to build a culture of on-the-go recycling in Dublin city centre.
In the first phase of the campaign, 25 brightly coloured recycling bins were installed on Grafton Street and Henry Street.
The most recent audit since installation found that 83% of plastic bottles and cans in the areas covered by the recycling initiative are now ending up in the recycling bins, as opposed to the general waste.
The overall quantity of plastic bottles and cans being recycled through the new bins has more than doubled since the launch.
For the second phase of the campaign, recycling bins along busy streets will be doubled in Dublin city centre and they will expand into other areas including St. Andrew's Street.
The campaign will trial the use of 15 Big Belly bins in the Docklands area of the city – these smart-bins feature a solar-powered compactor allowing it to hold up five times the amount of material.
Two reverse vending machines which make a charitable donation in return for plastic bottles and cans will also be installed on a pilot basis on the grounds of Trinity College Dublin and on the Airfield Estate in Dundrum, Co. Dublin to gain new insights into consumer recycling behaviours.
Gavin Ellis, Director and Co-Founder of Hubbub said: "We're thrilled to see the success of the initiative so far in Dublin city centre and we’re looking forward to working with our partners to double its reach."
"By making recycling easier, clearer and more desirable, Dublin #CircleCity is changing public attitudes to recycling, helping Ireland meet its circular economy targets."
The Dublin #CircleCity campaign is being supported and delivered on-the-ground by local partners. Those include Voice Ireland, the local campaign partner; the RPS Group as an independent measurement and evaluation partner; and DublinTown, the city centre’s main business improvement district.
