196. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether he is satisfied that recyclable cardboard collected by licensed waste operators is being handled in a manner consistent with public guidance given to households that wet or contaminated cardboard is not suitable for recycling; whether his attention has been drawn to reports of cardboard being stored outdoors at waste and recycling facilities, including transfer stations, where it may become wet and contaminated; whether inspections of such facilities assess the impact of outdoor storage on the quality of recyclable materials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63084/26]

Cardboard packaging is a valuable resource within Ireland's recycling system and is collected, managed and prepared for recycling with the objective of maintaining material quality and maximising recycling outcomes. Recycling of materials in the EU's Paper and Cardboard category is at its highest level for some years here. Latest official statistics, in respect of the year 2024, show that Ireland is on track to hit those EU recycling targets for 2025.

Cardboard has a clear recycling and commercial value so there is a strong incentive to preserve its integrity while awaiting export for recycling. According to Repak, Ireland’s Packaging Responsibility Organisation, the storage of cardboard in circumstances where there is a possibility of water ingress would, it is understood, be rare, limited to relatively small volumes and generally occur only in exceptional circumstances where there is a temporary interruption to the recycling logistics chain.

Under the Waste Management Act, waste facility permitting and/or licensing is a statutory function of either the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the local authorities dependent on the size/activity of the facility involved. Enforcement of licence/permit conditions is likewise a matter for the EPA and/or local authorities. Under section 60(3) of the Waste Management Act, the Minister is precluded from exercising any power or control, in particular circumstance, over the statutory functions of the Agency or a local authority.