We are reflecting on the significant milestones of the past year and it has filled us with both pride and a renewed sense of purpose here at VOICE. Dive into our vibrant flipbook...

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From the triumphant success of our ban disposable vapes campaign to the launch of our latest initiative, Threads of Transparency, we've embarked on a journey that goes beyond advocating for change; we are actively steering Ireland away from a disposable culture towards one rooted in reuse, refill, and repair.

As we navigate this path, our victories have been accompanied by the formidable challenges of resistance from businesses clinging to conventional practices. This year, marked by constructive strides, gains added importance with the appointment of our new CEO, bringing fresh perspectives and determination to our cause.

We acknowledge with sincere gratitude that none of these accomplishments would have been possible without the unwavering support of our dedicated membership, supporters, and volunteers. While the road ahead remains challenging, our commitment to fostering a sustainable, circular economy in Ireland grows stronger, propelled by the collective effort of those who share our vision for a brighter, waste-free future.

Our achievement would not have been possible, if it were not for your support, thanks to you we've been able to achieve the following:

VOICE were invited by the four Dublin Local Authorities to create and develop English and Irish School Waste Management Video Guides!! These videos serve as a source of empowerment for young environmental champions, they help to guide staff members who are eager to lead recycling revolutions in schools and ease the burden on cleaning teams.

This year we also worked with Community Foundation for Ireland to develop a new programme, the Communicty Circular economy action plans.  

The programme has two parts, an online educational section followed by a directly funded plan, with communities receiving financial support from CFI to develop their own plan and projects. We can’t wait for the plans to be developed and see the actions spring up across the country, and for those actions to feed off and inspire even more and further actions.  

Abi went to Brussels, where she joined up with Break Free From Plastic Groups. Abi was there to meet Irish MEP's in advance of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations Vote, that took place in November.

This summer VOICE ran our National Recycling Bin Survey, as part of our Sick of Plastic Campaign. This was a groundbreaking initiative aimed at addressing the pressing issue of packaging waste in Irish households. The survey recruited 130 participants in 49 households across 13 Irish counties, analysing a total of 10,029 waste items. You can see the results HERE

Prompted by the dual threat of disposable vapes to the environment and public health, we came together with leading health and environmental experts to call upon the Irish Government to Ban Disposable Vapes. We have collected over 3,134 signatures to petition the Irish Government on this issue.

Tad was invited to Leinster House by Senator Lynn Boylan to give testimony to Senators ahead of the Seanad debate on the Ban of Dumping New Products Bill. Tad was joined by  French Deputy Alma Dafour who discussed how France has navigated a ban on dumping new products there.

VOICE's Picker Pals Programme runs from September to September, and the '22 to '23 programme was an absolute success. With over 1,400 classrooms from all over Ireland, we had 32,000 children directly taking part. Our programme is inclusive, fun, informative and free. This year the team introduced Kahoot quizzes with hundreds of classrooms at a time. We ran an art competition, storytelling competition and of course ran the Picker Pals episodes on YouTube. Phew!!!

The results from our Recycling Bin Survey, involving 130 participants across 13 counties, were compiled into a comprehensive report called The Source of Recyclign Waste: Lifting the Lid on Ireland's Packaging Problem. Our report found that 66% of recycling bin contents originated from supermarkets, emphasizing their significant role in the plastic crisis. The report recommends legislative measures, urging supermarkets to reduce and reuse, with VOICE proposing mandatory targets for real change.

This year saw the announcement of the DRS, a campaign VOICE has been working on for nearly 12 years. This is a huge change in how we manage material in this country for the better, however we want to continue in this work and move up the waste hierarchy from waste to prevention, through re-use and repair.

What has enabled us to consistently call for a better environment, and enable us to continue making the changes we need to make into the future, is you, our supporters, and donors.

So thank you all for your support in 2023, and we look forward to continuing to work for a better world in 2024.