Bottles packaging EPR Ireland: what a plastic bottle costs per 1,000 packs, 2026
Last verified
In Ireland, 1,000 plastic bottles of the Medium (about 16 to 20 oz) size (24 g) carry an estimated packaging fee of €3.98 to €4.88 on the 2026 schedule. The range comes from the published rates that fit each part of the pack. Instica estimates it; you confirm the weights, then sign and submit.
What this page estimates for a plastic bottle in Ireland
The plastic bottle on this page is a clear PET bottle closed with a plastic screw cap. It has 2 components, each matched to the published rates of the 2026 schedule of Repak Regular and Scheduled Members fees for Ireland; weight times rate gives a fee per 1,000 packs in EUR. The figures are estimates built on starting weights.
What is in a plastic bottle
The bottle has two components: the PET body and the plastic cap. A label or shrink sleeve is not weighed in the starting estimate.
Starting weights, an Instica estimate for a typical pack and not a measured weight: bottle (PET plastic, 22 g) and cap (plastic, 2 g).
- Bottle
- PET plastic, 22 g (Instica starting estimate)
- Cap
- plastic, 2 g (Instica starting estimate)
Worked example: 1,000 plastic bottles in Ireland
One plastic bottle of the Medium (about 16 to 20 oz) size weighs 24 g in total. For each component the table gives its weight, the matched published rates, and the fee for 1,000 packs.
| Component | Weight each | Matched published rate | Fee per 1,000 packs | Fee per pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bottle | 22 g | PET beverage bottles (non-DRS) to Plastic non-beverage bottles | €3.65 | €0.0036 |
| Cap | 2 g | Recycled rigid plastic to Non-recycled plastic | €0.33 to €1.23 | €0.0003 to €0.0012 |
Ireland: 1,000 plastic bottles of the Medium (about 16 to 20 oz) size are estimated at €3.98 to €4.88 in packaging fees.
Added together, the estimate for 1,000 packs is €3.98 to €4.88.
Divide by 1,000 for a single pack: about €0.0040 to €0.0049.
What the fee tool returns for 1,000 plastic bottles in Ireland
Entered into the public fee tool for Ireland (2026 schedule, effective January 1, 2026), 1,000 plastic bottles give the figures below. The tool is the same engine that prices a report, so this page and the tool agree.
| Component | Category at the lowest rate | Weight | Fee | Category at the highest rate | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bottle | PET beverage bottles (non-DRS) | 22 g | €3.65 | Plastic non-beverage bottles | €3.65 |
| Cap | Recycled rigid plastic | 2 g | €0.33 | Non-recycled plastic | €1.23 |
Ireland: the fee tool returns €3.98 at the lowest matched rates and €4.88 at the highest for 1,000 plastic bottles of the Medium (about 16 to 20 oz) size (24 g each).
The tool total is €3.98 at the lowest matched rates and €4.88 at the highest.
| Size | Weight each | Total, lowest rates | Total, highest rates | Per pack, lowest | Per pack, highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small (about 12 oz) | 17 g | €2.82 | €3.72 | €0.0028 | €0.0037 |
| Medium (about 16 to 20 oz) | 24 g | €3.98 | €4.88 | €0.004 | €0.0049 |
| Large (about 1 L) | 38 g | €6.30 | €7.65 | €0.0063 | €0.0077 |
Which published rates were matched in Ireland
5 published rates were matched to the pack in Ireland from the 2026 schedule. Each is quoted from the programme’s own fee table; the page does not change the rate or round it.
Bottle, 22 g: 3 matched rates
| Category | Published rate | Per kilogram | Fee per 1,000 packs | Fee per pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PET beverage bottles (non-DRS) | 165.70 EUR/tonne | €0.1657 | €3.65 | €0.0036 |
| Other plastic beverage bottles | 165.70 EUR/tonne | €0.1657 | €3.65 | €0.0036 |
| Plastic non-beverage bottles | 165.70 EUR/tonne | €0.1657 | €3.65 | €0.0036 |
Cap, 2 g: 5 matched rates
| Category | Published rate | Per kilogram | Fee per 1,000 packs | Fee per pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recycled rigid plastic | 165.70 EUR/tonne | €0.1657 | €0.33 | €0.0003 |
| PET beverage bottles (non-DRS) | 165.70 EUR/tonne | €0.1657 | €0.33 | €0.0003 |
| Other plastic beverage bottles | 165.70 EUR/tonne | €0.1657 | €0.33 | €0.0003 |
| Plastic non-beverage bottles | 165.70 EUR/tonne | €0.1657 | €0.33 | €0.0003 |
| Non-recycled plastic | 616.22 EUR/tonne | €0.6162 | €1.23 | €0.0012 |
Ireland 2026: the category “PET beverage bottles (non-DRS)” is published at 165.70 EUR/tonne.
Ireland 2026: the category “Other plastic beverage bottles” is published at 165.70 EUR/tonne.
Ireland 2026: the category “Plastic non-beverage bottles” is published at 165.70 EUR/tonne.
Ireland 2026: the category “Recycled rigid plastic” is published at 165.70 EUR/tonne.
Ireland 2026: the category “Non-recycled plastic” is published at 616.22 EUR/tonne.
How size changes the fee for a plastic bottle
The weight of a plastic bottle depends on its size. The table prices each of the 3 sizes with the same matched rates, so the only thing that changes between rows is the weight.
| Size | Weight each | Fee per 1,000 packs, lowest rates | Fee per 1,000 packs, highest rates | Per pack, lowest | Per pack, highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small (about 12 oz) | 17 g | €2.82 | €3.72 | €0.0028 | €0.0037 |
| Medium (about 16 to 20 oz) | 24 g | €3.98 | €4.88 | €0.004 | €0.0049 |
| Large (about 1 L) | 38 g | €6.30 | €7.65 | €0.0063 | €0.0076 |
Each component of the plastic bottle priced at every size, at the matched rates for Ireland.
| Component | Small (about 12 oz) | Medium (about 16 to 20 oz) | Large (about 1 L) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottle | 15 g: €2.49 | 22 g: €3.65 | 35 g: €5.80 |
| Cap | 2 g: €0.33 to €1.23 | 2 g: €0.33 to €1.23 | 3 g: €0.50 to €1.85 |
What if the plastic bottle used another material?
Suppose the main component of the plastic bottle, weighing 22 g, were made of another material. The table prices the same weight in each material class that Ireland publishes a rate for, at the lowest published rate in that class.
| Material | Lowest published rate | Fee per 1,000 packs at that rate | Highest published rate | Fee per 1,000 packs at that rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| paper and board | 41.60 EUR/tonne | €0.92 | 41.60 EUR/tonne | €0.92 |
| plastic | 165.70 EUR/tonne | €3.65 | 165.70 EUR/tonne | €3.65 |
| glass | 19.14 EUR/tonne | €0.42 | 19.14 EUR/tonne | €0.42 |
| aluminium | 5.14 EUR/tonne | €0.11 | 5.14 EUR/tonne | €0.11 |
| steel | 64.76 EUR/tonne | €1.42 | 64.76 EUR/tonne | €1.42 |
| Material | Category | Published rate | Fee per 1,000 packs | Fee per pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| paper and board | Recycled paper / cardboard | 41.60 EUR/tonne | €0.92 | €0.0009 |
| glass | Recycled glass | 19.14 EUR/tonne | €0.42 | €0.0004 |
| aluminium | Recycled aluminium (non-DRS) | 5.14 EUR/tonne | €0.11 | €0.0001 |
| steel | Recycled steel (non-DRS) | 64.76 EUR/tonne | €1.42 | €0.0014 |
A fee comparison only: another material changes weight and protection too.
What a larger run of plastic bottles costs in Ireland
Fees scale with the number of packs, because the schedule charges by mass. The table repeats the worked example for larger runs of the Medium (about 16 to 20 oz) plastic bottle in Ireland. Nothing else changes between rows: the same weights and the same matched rates apply.
| Packs | Total weight | Fee at the lowest rates | Fee at the highest rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 2.4 kg | €0.40 | €0.49 |
| 500 | 12 kg | €1.99 | €2.44 |
| 1,000 | 24 kg | €3.98 | €4.88 |
| 5,000 | 120 kg | €19.88 | €24.39 |
| 10,000 | 240 kg | €39.77 | €48.78 |
| 50,000 | 1,200 kg | €198.84 | €243.89 |
| 100,000 | 2,400 kg | €397.68 | €487.78 |
| 500,000 | 12,000 kg | €1,988.40 | €2,438.92 |
| 1,000,000 | 24,000 kg | €3,976.80 | €4,877.84 |
Ireland: a single plastic bottle is estimated at €0.0040 to €0.0049 in packaging fees.
Ireland: across all its components, a plastic bottle is priced at €0.1657 to €0.2032 per kilogram of packaging.
Taken as a whole, the pack is priced at €0.1657 to €0.2032 per kilogram of packaging, so a heavier pack costs more in proportion to its weight.
Flat fee bands, registration fees and minimum charges sit outside this per-kilogram table.
The fee schedule behind these figures for Ireland
The rates come from the 2026 schedule of Repak Regular and Scheduled Members fees for Ireland, effective January 1, 2026. The facts below record where it was published and what else the schedule charges.
Ireland: the 2026 fee schedule of Repak Regular and Scheduled Members fees, effective January 1, 2026, is the source of the per-kilogram rates used on this page.
Ireland: the schedule lists a further fee, “Regular Member fee, Materials Manufacturer stage”, of 1.00 EUR per tonne.
Ireland: the schedule lists a further fee, “Regular Member fee, Converter stage”, of 1.00 EUR per tonne.
Ireland: the schedule lists a further fee, “Regular Member fee, Retailer stage”, of 2.00 EUR per tonne.
The schedule also lists 3 other fees, which are not part of the per-kilogram estimate on this page.
Ways to lower the fee on a plastic bottle
Bottle weight falls when the wall is thinner, and many programmes publish a lower rate for clear PET than for coloured or opaque PET.
The cap is often a different plastic from the body, and some schedules price caps and lids on a separate line.
A deposit or take-back scheme can take a bottle out of the producer fee schedule altogether, so check whether one covers your drink or product.
Bottles of the same capacity can differ in weight by several grams between suppliers, so weigh your own bottle and cap before relying on a starting estimate.
Questions sellers ask
How much is the EPR fee for a plastic bottle in Ireland?
For 1,000 plastic bottles of the Medium (about 16 to 20 oz) size, the estimated fee is €3.98 to €4.88 on the 2026 schedule, from the published rates that fit each component.
Is this the amount I will pay?
No. It is an estimate for the packaging alone. Registration fees, flat fee bands, eco-modulation and thresholds sit outside the per-kilogram figure. Instica prepares the data; you check, sign and submit it, and Instica never stores regulator login details.
How these figures are made
Sources
- repak.ie: Repak Regular Member 2026 Fees Sheet retrieved
Original wording: Repak Fees 2026
Original wording: Materials Manufacturer Converter Brandholder / Importer Retailer Total per tonne Recycled Paper / Cardboard €1.00 €1.00 €41.60 €2.00 €45.60
Original wording: PET Beverage Bottles ( Non DRS) €1.00 €1.00 €165.70 €2.00 €169.70
Original wording: Other Plastic Beverage Bottles €1.00 €1.00 €165.70 €2.00 €169.70
Original wording: Plastic Non Beverage Bottles €1.00 €1.00 €165.70 €2.00 €169.70
Original wording: Recycled Rigid Plastic €1.00 €1.00 €165.70 €2.00 €169.70
Original wording: Non Recycled Plastic €1.00 €1.00 €616.22 €2.00 €620.22
Original wording: Recycled Paper / Cardboard €1.00 €1.00 €41.60 €2.00 €45.60
Original wording: Recycled Glass €1.00 €1.00 €19.14 €2.00 €23.14
Original wording: Recycled Alum ( Non DRS) €1.00 €1.00 €5.14 €2.00 €9.14
Original wording: Recycled Steel ( Non DRS) €1.00 €1.00 €64.76 €2.00 €68.76
The free plan is enough to start. We estimate and prepare; you sign and submit.