A large majority of Irish people favour an outright ban on households binning glass and paper to force people to recycle more, according to a new survey on attitudes to recycling.
However, the survey found that, despite a significant increase in recycling in Ireland, more than 14 per cent of Irish people still recycle nothing of their household waste.
Farmers emerged as the worst group for recycling, with one in four admitting to recycling nothing, while the worst region was Connacht/Ulster where almost four in 10 people do not recycle. Families with children under 10 years of age emerged as the best at recycling.
The survey, by Millward Brown IMS, of 1,200 people around the State found that 69 per cent favoured a ban on recyclables, such as glass, paper and plastics, in household bins which are taken to landfill.
The survey was commissioned by Repak to mark national recycling week, which starts today. Repak collects fees of €15 million from companies that produce packaging waste, and from that provides subsidies to recycling firms, and grants for recycling facilities.
The survey also found that 62 per cent of respondents favoured the pay-by-weight system for bins, to encourage greater recycling. The system is to be introduced on a nationwide basis from next year.
In Cork and Monaghan, where it was introduced on a pilot basis last year, there was a reduction of 30 per cent in the amount of waste going to landfill.
Although the survey found there had been a major increase in recycling, the rate for recycling packaging material, such as cardboard and glass, was found to be low, with just 20 per cent being recovered.
The number of people recycling is increasing, with 50 per cent of respondents visiting a recycling centre at least once a month, compared with 41 per cent in 2003.
Repak CEO Mr Andrew Hetherington described as "alarming" the fact that 14 per cent of people still recycle nothing, and said that a ban on recyclable waste being dumped should be considered.
"The research is clearly showing that the significant investment in making recycling facilities accessible is not enough," he said.