Limerick Polymers Production has been named the winner of the Overall Pakman Award, sponsored by Repak, at the eighth annual Pakman Awards. The awards ceremony, which took place on Friday night at the Marker Hotel, saw representatives from leading businesses and community groups come together to recognise excellence in recycling and waste management. All ten category winners on the night were automatically put forward for the Overall Pakman Award, won by Limerick Polymers Production.
Another highlight of this year’s awards saw seven charities or community organisations, each nominated by an attendee who had a ticket assigned to them pulled from a charity draw on the night, receive a €1,000 donation each. The charities that received donations from the Pakman Awards were Skerries Tidy Towns, Skerries Autism Friendly Towns, St. Francis Hospice, Pieta House, Simon Community, My Canine Companion and Sejare House Limerick.
The Pakman Awards, powered by Repak, is held annually and seeks to find and celebrate Ireland’s recycling and waste management champions. Winning a Pakman Award is one of the highest accolades an organisation, company, community group or individual can receive for their environmental and sustainability efforts.
About Limerick Polymers Production
Limerick Polymers Production is the newest site in one of Ireland’s largest family-owned recycling groups. The site is Ireland’s first purpose built plastic recovery facility and is the single largest investment in recycling infrastructure in the history of the state. The plant itself is fully automated and is capable of processing over 70,000 tons of mixed plastic packaging per year. As a direct result of the facility there has been a 53% increase in the amount of mixed plastic film being recycled in Ireland in 2022 and this will increase further in the coming years as Limerick Polymers Production continues to expand. According to the 2022 Pakman Awards judging panel, the entry from Limerick Polymers Production was a best-in-class example in waste recovery, and its efforts to create a truly circular economy for plastic packaging in Ireland. Limerick Polymers Production was also announced winner of the Waste Recycling and Recovery Facility award.
Other Pakman Awards winners
Currys Ireland was announced as the winner of the ‘Battery and WEEE Champion’ category. Currys Ireland is committed to operating exemplary e-waste management practices and becoming Ireland’s greenest and most responsible technology retailer by providing innovative recycling initiatives. In 2021 and 2022, Currys Ireland launched the ‘Cash for Trash’ campaign, the first initiative of its kind which takesback small electricals at delivery and adapts a circular economy for all WEEE.
Local Laois business, CJ Sheeran Limited was awarded the winner of the ‘Business Recycling Champion’ category. The company produces a broad range of both standard and specialised wood packaging and pallet modules such as pallets, cases, crates, boxes, frames, skids and dunnage and recover in excess of three million used pallets per annum. The company has adopted high standards in terms of green procurement and only purchase raw timber from FSC approved suppliers ensuring forests are managed sustainably. CJ Sheeran Limited is also committed to leading the way to a sustainable future and has set out an ambitious plan to transition to a net zero by 2025.
Relove Paint – Cork County Council & Cork City Council scooped the ‘Community Recycling Initiative’ award. Relove Paint is a community paint reuse scheme in Cork County and City. A collaboration between Cork County Council, Cork City Council and three Cork social enterprises, IRD Duhallow in Newmarket, Northside Community Enterprise (NCE) in Farranferris, Cork City and Cycle Sense based in Skibbereen, Relove Paint collects unwanted paint from both local authority civic amenity sites by the social enterprises who then filter, remix and recolour the paint to produce a high quality but low-cost paint which is distributed back into the community. Since October 2021, the project has diverted over five tonnes of paint from incineration to reuse.
Repak Members Coca Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland, Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard and Lidl Ireland GmbH were announced as Gold Winners of the ‘Plastic Pledge’ award for their commitment to increasing the recyclability of packaging. Other winners on the night included Continental Tyre Group in the ‘Tyre Champion’ category, Palm Free (Zero Waste) Irish Soap Ltd in the ‘Waste Prevention Award’ category, Rebox won the ‘Innovation in Waste Resources Products or Service’ category and Eastern-Midlands Regional Waste Management Plan Office was announced as the winner of the ‘Environmental Education and Awareness Initiative’. Panda Green was announced as the winner of the Waste Recovery Operator Household and Commercial.
Minister of State for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Public Procurement, eGovernment with special responsibility for Communications and Circular Economy Ossian Smyth TD commented:
‘Since last year’s Pakman awards, Government has published Ireland’s first Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy and enacted the first Circular Economy Act. The pace of change is remarkable. The Pakman awards don’t just recognise the marvelous achievements of individual companies but will further inspire and energise us all to reach Ireland’s potential to become a leader in the circular economy.’
Speaking at the 2022 Pakman Awards, Séamus Clancy, CEO of Repak said:
‘We are delighted to be celebrating many environmental champions at this year’s awards, who are leading by example in implementing excellent recycling and waste management practices over the last twelve months. This year saw some of the highest entries from companies, businesses, community groups and individuals to the Pakman Awards , a reflection of the commitment of many industries in Ireland to help reach our future EU recycling targets and protect our planet for future generations.
The standard of this year’s entries was not only exceptional but served as inspiration for others in how to deliver exemplary environmental practices. I would like to thank our sponsors, congratulate all the winners and finalists and extend a special congratulations to Limerick Polymers Production the winner of the 2022 Overall Pakman Award’.
Brendan Keane from the IWMA also commented:
'The 2022 Pakman entries saw Irish businesses both large and small take a major step forward in the innovative reduction and recycling of precious natural resources. In particular we saw smaller organisations, communities and individuals doubling down on their impacts to yield both cost and resource savings which gives us clear hope for the future in Ireland as a nation, committing to and striving for a circular economy.'
To find out more information about the Pakman Awards 2022, visit @PakmanAwards on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.