Half of young Irish adults are turning trash into treasure in the garden
Repak’s ‘Recycled, Reused and Refilled’ sculptural garden at Bloom will showcase how reclaimed items can be transformed in outdoor spaces
Print26 May 2026
New research commissioned by Repak has revealed that half (49%) of young Irish adults (18 – 34 year olds) are upcycling packaging waste for use in their garden.
From egg cartons being put in composters to plastic containers being reused as mini plant pots, household waste is getting a second life outdoors.
The findings underline how sustainability and upcycling are helping to reduce waste while bringing more colour and creativity to outdoor spaces like gardens and balconies across the country.
While the findings highlight a growing public interest in sustainability and recycling the research also reveals ongoing confusion around what items belong in which bins.
Encouragingly 78% of respondents said that their children are involved in the household recycling reflecting a growing culture of sustainability in Irish homes.
However, despite almost seven in 10 people rating their recycling knowledge highly four in 10 households still face challenges when it comes to correctly sorting waste.
The findings uncovered misconceptions around several everyday items including
- A third (34%) of people think that clean tinfoil must go in the general waste bin, when it can be recycled.
- One in five members of the public are still disposing of dog and cat food tins in the general waste rather than the recycling.
- Approximately a quarter (24%) are incorrectly putting rice, pasta and noodle bags in the general waste.
- 34% of people believe that bubble wrap cannot be recycled.
While the research highlights strong public engagement with recycling overall, it also reveals a clear generational confidence gap.
Just 58% of under-35s say they feel confident about recycling correctly compared to over three quarters (76%) of over-55s.
Despite this disparity, the research points to strong recycling habits among Irish households.
The research shows that people would benefit from clearer recycling symbols on packaging, as two thirds of people claim it is challenging for them, along with confusion about what packaging can be recycled.
Over half of the public (55%) also flagged that a relative lack of communal recycling facilities is also a major barrier for them.
General waste and recycling bins are used by more than nine in 10 households, while almost eight in ten parents say their children participate in recycling activities at home.
The research findings were published to coincide with Repak unveiling its plans for Bloom 2026, where its immersive “Recycle, Reused and Refilled” show garden will demonstrate how recycled and reclaimed materials can be transformed into beautiful, functional outdoor spaces.
Designed entirely using reusable, reclaimed and recycled materials, Repak’s Bloom garden aims to showcase the role the circular economy can play in shaping sustainable outdoor living spaces.
The “Recycle, Reused and Refilled” Sculptural Garden will feature reclaimed stone paving, recycled aggregate pathways, bespoke seating created with recycled materials, stacked bicycle wheel installations and sculptural bird feeders crafted from reused materials.
The garden has been designed as both an immersive visitor experience and an educational space, incorporating a large open social area for talks and demonstrations alongside biodiverse planting, water features and contemporary recycled sculptures.
Visitors will be encouraged to explore how recycled materials can be transformed into striking and practical design elements while learning more about reuse, refill and responsible recycling behaviours.
Repak’s show garden will host a series of family-friendly talks, workshops and sustainability discussions focused on recycling, reuse and the circular economy.
Activities throughout the week will include “Tiny Gardeners, Big Impact”, an interactive children’s workshop led by John Sharpson, where children will learn about recycling ‘clean, dry and loose’ before planting seeds into reused packaging such as yoghurt tubs and pots.
Repak will also participate in a number of Sustainability Stage discussions across the festival, including sessions exploring smarter packaging design, the journey of household recycling after it leaves the bin, and how Irish households and communities are driving the circular economy.
Commenting on the research findings, Repak CEO Zoe Kavanagh said: “People across Ireland are clearly motivated to recycle and live more sustainably, particularly younger generations who are embracing upcycling and reuse in creative ways.
“What this research tells us is that the willingness is there, but there is still a knowledge gap.
“Through our presence at Bloom, we want to inspire people to think differently about waste, reuse everyday materials in creative ways, and give consumers the confidence to recycle correctly.
“If each of the 100,000 expected visitors to Bloom recycled just one more clean, dry, and loose item every day, it could divert an estimated 36.5 million items from landfill annually, enough to cover 32 Olympic sized swimming pools.’
Read more: Repak Members in the Community national campaign launched by Minister Alan Dillon
© 2026, ShelfLife by Ryan Brennan
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