Increase in packaging waste this Christmas due to surge in online deliveries

Over 80,000 tonnes of packaging waste is expected to be generated over Christmas.

That's an increase of 7% on last year.

The rise in online sales this year has contributed to the extra material.

Chief executive of Repak Seamus Clancy says recycling services are running over Christmas,"Just less than 2,000 bottle banks in the country, and we've seen, you know, almost a 17% increase in glass this year, particularly over the Christmas period," he said. "So I'd say to the public at large just be patient. Take your time with with, not everybody needs to go to the bottle bank every day, no different to the essential services which Repak is there to support over the Christmas period, those services are still running."