Repak  

As and from the 1 January 2007, Repak requires that plastic bottles be reported separately on the Repak Statistical Return Form. This will affect returns made for the six month period ending 30 June 2007 in the first instance, and thereafter for each six-monthly period. 

For the purposes of Repak statistical returns, a plastic bottle is defined as:

a rigid or semi-rigid plastic container, made from blow-moulded plastic polymers such as HDPE, PET, PVC, ordinarily with a neck/opening that is smaller than the body of the container. Its defining characteristics include

• a mouth that can usually be plugged, sealed or capped;
• contents  which can be poured, sprayed, pumped or squeezed, possibly through a delivery device;
• usually free-standing on its base.

This definition includes, but is not limited to, plastic bottles containing liquids, pastes, gels, lotions, powders, creams, sauces, oils, ointments, balms, pellets and tablets.

Examples include
1. Standard beverages (soft drinks, water, milk, juices, alcoholic drinks)
2. Dairy Products (yoghurt drinks, health drinks, cream)
3. Cooking products, ingredients and flavourings (cooking oil, salt, tomato sauce)
4. Health, beauty and medicinal products (soap, shampoo, medicine containers, certain medicinal delivery devices)
5. Detergent and cleaning products (fabric softener, window cleaner)
6. Household and DIY items (white spirits, wood-glue, some paint, but not standard plastic paint cans)

This new reporting requirement is designed to capture data on the amount of plastic bottles placed on the market. The recovery processes for plastic bottles and other plastic packaging types are fundamentally different.

For further information on the new reporting format, please contact the Repak Statistics Section on 01-4670190 or email info@repak.ie

The table below illustrates some examples of plastic bottles which fall within the definition above.