Two Dublin businesses, Panda Green and Rebox have been named as the winners of the ‘Waste Recovery Operator – Household and Commercial’ and ‘Innovation in Waste Resource Products or Services’ categories in this year’s Pakman Awards. At the centre of the circular economy, Panda Green processes and manages three million tonnes of packaging waste a year. Fully committed to the ‘zero-landfill’ mission, Panda recycles and repurposes waste, compost biodegradable waste, reuses and recovers steel and wool, as well as implements ‘wash-and-return’ facilities to help reuse plastic food trays. Rebox has helped companies all over the country in their carbon reduction journeys. Rebox’s mission is to collect reusable cardboard all over Ireland to create reusable packaging. This process has helped many different companies to reduce their carbon footprint dramatically.
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.
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 Co. Dublin businesses, Rebox as the winner of the Innovation in Waste Resource Products or Services award, and Panda Green on winning the Waste Recovery Operator – Household and Commercial award.’
Brendan Keane from the Irish Waste Management Association (IWMA) concluded ‘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’.
