Ireland is on target to meet most EU waste and recycling targets, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's National Waste Report 2010 published today.
Under EU legislation, Ireland is required to meet a number of waste management and recycling targets.
The report said Ireland should meet many of these targets, with municipal waste recycling achieving a rate of 38%, just 2% under the EU average and target of 40%.
Ireland continued to exceed the EU target for recovery of packaging waste with a rate of 74% and was double the EU target for the recycling of electronic and electrical waste.
However, the report points out that 29% of occupied houses did not participate in, or are not offered, a waste collection service.
The quantity of household waste collected for treatment fell by 5%, in spite of an increase in population.
There was also a failure to meet targets for the re-use, recovery and recycling of motor vehicles.
