Voice - 25th anniversary - 1997 - 2022

Policy & Research

Read Our Policy Submissions, Policy Positions and Reports
Previous Policy work

End of Year Newsletter 2024

As 2024 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on all that we’ve achieved together—and we couldn’t have done it without you! This years Newsletter is Jam PACKED. It really has been a very busy year for us. So, stick on the kettle, sit back and enjoy reflecting on all that we have done in 2024.

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VOICE's priorities for our new government

98% of us are frustrated by the sheer volume of waste at home, and communities are stepping up to avoid single-use plastics. Yet, over 70% of our waste is exported, creating problems for other nations.

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Under Wraps Report

The first-ever cross European analysis of the role European supermarkets play in addressing plastic pollution. “Under wraps? What Europe’s supermarkets aren’t telling us about plastic” is a result of collaboration of over 20 NGOs, members of Break Free from Plastic movement, from across Europe. Here in Ireland, the Sick of Plastic Campaign has facilitated this report, reaching out to Ireland’s top five Supermarkets; Dunnes Stores, Supervalu (Musgraves), Tesco, LIDL and ALDI.

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Submission on the Draft National Waste Management Plan for a Circular Economy 2023-2029

This document outlines a solid framework for the shift toward a circular economy, we believe greater ambition is required to pivot business as usual toa truly circular economic model, we must ensure that one single-use disposable material is not substituted with another.

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Threads of Transparency Policy Position Paper

By understanding the significance of post-consumer textiles, we can make ask for better options that resonate with sustainability. Every piece of clothing we discard is a potential resource that can be repurposed, recycled, or reused. But for that to happen, we need a collective effort to hold collectors accountable and ensure that discarded clothes are managed responsibly.

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End of Year Newsletter 2023

Dive into the pages of our End-of-Year newsletter—it's a celebration of victories, a reflection on challenges, and a heartfelt 'thank you' to our incredible community. Your impact is woven into every word. Click to open and share the journey with us!

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The Source of Recycling Waste: Lifting the Lid on Ireland's Packaging Problems

Are your bins overflowing? Find out who is responsible!

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Upgrading the Shared Bin Experience (USE)

We want to continue examining waste reduction in apartments. Organic waste is a significant source of contamination of recyclable material and is often overlooked in MUD waste services, so we have adapted the programme to examine this waste stream. This is a pilot programme and is open to Multi Unit Developments (that is any site with a shared bin area- most commonly apartment complexes, but housing estates with a shared bin service are also common in Ireland).

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'Public Waste; Out of Sight, Out of Mind' Litter and Public Waste Report

VOICE Ireland publishes ‘Public Waste, Out of Sight, Out of Mind’ report, a 10-month investigation into how our local authorities are managing Ireland’s public waste

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Grocery Sector Report

We know how to make our Supermarkets Super - here's our 13 recommendations for the grocery sector. ‍Plastic is choking our waterways, endangering our health and contributing to global warming. Did you know that we are producing more plastic packaging year on year in Ireland? Sick of Plastic has just released its Grocery Report calling out supermarkets for the amount of plastic they place on the market and demanding an ambitious Circular Economy bill to adopt ambitious measures to reduce plastic packaging.

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PFAS Report

VOICE is calling for an immediate ban on the manufacture or use of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in Food Contact Materials (FCMs) on the Irish market ‍ PFAS are highly persistent chemicals used by manufacturers of many products, including FCMs for their repellency or non stick properties.

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Upgrading Shared bin Experience – improving recycling rates in apartments and MUDs

This REPAK funded project looked at the often overlooked area of apartment waste segregation and ran the first national pilot on improving waste segregation.

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Circular Economy Strategy Submission 2021

This our submission for the Proposed Publication of the Circular Economy Strategy.

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Poster Submission Environ conference 2019

An examination of a peer to peer education programme for recycling behaviour in Ireland

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Climate Action Plan 2021 Submission

VOICE's Expert Evidence for the Climate Action Plan 2021

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Submission for the National Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy

This is VOICE's submission in preparation for the Draft National Waste Management Plan.

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Deposit Return Scheme Submission May 2021

The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future – and the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy set out the government’s commitment to introduce a Deposit and Return Scheme (DRS) for plastic bottles (up to three litres in volume) and aluminium cans.

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Public Waste

We at VOICE believe that in order to get the change we want to conserve our natural resources and protect our environment, we need a top down and bottom up approach.

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No Home for Plastic

Plastic has become a ubiquitous material globally. Research quantifying the amount of plastic in the environment has prompted calls for action to tackle the use of this problem material.

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Support our Work

If you feel passionate about protecting our natural resources and would like to become more involved in creating positive change, please support our work by making a donation.

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