The Clean Technology Centre has been commissioned by the EPA to support the implementation of waste management and prevention measures through the Resource Efficiency Action Plans (REAPs).

A Resource Efficiency Action Plan (REAP) is the result of an on-site assessment or audit of how an organisation uses its energy, water and waste resources.

Since 2020, all Irish Government Departments are required to prepare a REAP on an annual basis as part of a Government commitment to green Government Departments. The REAP process will be expanded to State Agencies in the future.

Each Department assesses how effectively they use their resources and they make recommendations based on their findings. Some examples of audit recommendations are:

• Upgrade office lighting with energy efficient alternatives
• Optimise use of Building Management Systems controls
• Remove general waste bins from individual desks
• Increase number of bins for recycling and composting
• Reduce flow rates on taps
• Discontinue use of single use plastics throughout organisation
• Establish in-house Green Team from staff and management representatives
• Green Team to devise and implement Green Action Plan
• Reflect and promote the organisation’s green credentials as part of its corporate identity

In 2019 CTC prepared Guidance for the Government Department REAP implementation in and the associated benchmarking templates for the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE). These can be downloaded from here.

This experience, allied to our extensive history working in the area of waste prevention, resource efficiency assessment, guidance preparation and training delivery, provides us with an in-depth appreciation of the REAP process and challenges government departments have encountered in their development.

Based on this, as part of this tender, CTC carried out five tasks to support Government Departments in the implementation and reporting of waste management and prevention measures, through their Resource Efficiency Action Plans.

1. A thorough review of the management and prevention targets and actions proposed in the returned 2019 Departmental REAPs.
2. Development of a suite of communication materials. I
3. Provision of a webinar training session.
4. Four follow-on online ‘group clinics’ (each 1-2 hours)  to REAP department facilitators and Green teams.
5. Revision and finalisation of REAP guidance and processes, in consultation with DCCAE.