Beat Plastic Pollution with Smarter Waste Solutions

World Environment Day is acknowledged every year on the 5th June, this year the campaign theme is 'Beat Plastic Pollution'. Plastic pollution has spread to every corner of the planet—even in our bodies in the form of microplastics! The campaign focuses on tackling plastic pollution by calling on countries, organisations and individuals to act together to protect the planet.

At Oxigen, we work hard everyday to collect waste from our over 100,000 customers in the East and Midlands of Ireland. From curb side pickup to our amenities sites, we collect hundreds of tonnes of waste every year. Our commitment to sustainability and effective waste disposal is why people can trust us to process their recyclables and household waste responsibly.

In 2024, Oxigen collected over 20,000 tonnes of plastics, including film, packaging, hard and mixed plastics. The type of plastic matters in sorting the material, as different plastics are processed in different ways.

Clean, hard plastics called HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) and MDPE (Medium-Density Polyethylene) are often used for milk cartons, toothpaste tubes and shampoo bottles. These plastics can be processed into granules in order to be made into new items.

At Oxigen, we transport our HDPE and MDPE plastic waste to Leinster Environmental in Louth and Paltech Offaly to be melted down and reused in several ways. Plastics you dispose of in our domestic green bins can be turned into items such as garden planters, agricultural troughs, detergent bottles and water pipes.

LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene), a soft, single stream plastic used for drinks bottles, food packaging and single use containers; is transported from our Oxigen facilities to ROC Agnail to be further sorted and processed for export across the UK and Ireland. LDPE plastics can be used again to manufacture items such as floor tiles, shipping envelopes, compost bins and bubble wrap.

The journey of plastic items from our Oxigen customer bins to the new items being produced by recycled plastic, is a fascinating thought. Many steps, processes and people are involved in making sure that everything we collect is sorted in the correct way. We ensure that 100% of all plastic waste that is collected from domestic bins is processed and sent for use in other industries.

Oxigen customers can help us streamline our processes by using your recycling bins correctly. Your Oxigen green bin should only contain household plastics such as:

✓ Drinks bottles

✓ Cleaning product containers

✓ Butter, Yoghurt and Salad Tubs

✓ Soap and Shampoo bottles

✓ Cosmetic Bottles

Plastics that are contaminated with grease, food or dirt should be washed first!

You can learn more about what steps you can take to reduce your waste on the Citizens Information website - as the best action to become more sustainable is to reduce your waste!