Achursáil Árainn – Aran Recycling

• The co-op is owned by the community – nobody takes profits
• The overall reuse/recycling rate on Inis Mór increased from 32.6% in 2001 to 58.4% in 2018, an increase of 59% over the 17 year period of records. This municipal recycling rate of 58.4% in 2018 compares to the current national rate of 41% mostly driven
  by the cities and towns.
• The former landfilll site is closed and is returning to nature
• The co-op now organises waste management open days for Irish and International visitors,
• Achursáil Arainn’s success shows that with the right structure even the most complex projects can be run by the community.

• There are over 280,000 visitors to Árainn every year producing a large and complex waste stream
• The key to project implementation was acceptance by the islanders that they no longer wished to consign household and commercial waste to landfill
• The project has a high standard of governance administered by the recycling plant manager under the overall
  direction of the Inis mór Co-Op Manager
• the Aran Islands householders through our Co-op membership are taking responsibility for the protection of their own natural environment and complying with both the ‘polluter pays principle’ in terms of householder charges and the ‘proximity
  principle’ to treat waste as close as possible to its point of generation.

• 58% waste recycling and repurposing
• Dry recyclables are baled and sent to Galway,
• Food and organics incl. paper are composted in high quality composting operation (incl. pasteurisation after the introduction of the
  Food and Animal By-products Regulations post 2008).
• Residual waste is then examined for glass, metals, timber, clothes and bulky items and these are
  segregated for reuse and recycling on the islands. For instance, the glass is crushed for reuse as
  aggregates for concrete on the island, the timber is shredded to go into compost and the bulky items
  like old windows etc. are stored for reuse on agricultural and garden sheds on the island.
• Metals are separated for recycling to Galway to Walsh Waste with the residual waste for landfill.

• The Aran Islands are famous for being self-sufficient. They are very aware of how every community needs to take control of its own sustainability
• Complicated issues, even like running a large scale waste strategy, can be managed by community organisations
• Good governance is key – the co-op priciples are excellent at supporting this
• Build strong alliances: the support of the county council, the regional stakeholders (Údarás), and the government are needed, so build up connections. 

• SDG 12: Sustainable consumption and production
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Keywords: Community-Driven, Municipal, Waste.