Copyright & DMCA Policy

1. Scope of This Policy

recyclingcentreireland.org/ publishes guidance on Ireland's civic amenity sites, bring banks, kerbside services, the Re-turn Deposit Return Scheme, WEEE Ireland, and the wider Irish recycling framework. The site itself, its editorial structure, original commentary, and unique design elements are protected by Irish copyright law (Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000) and the EU acquis on copyright.

This policy explains how copyright owners can submit a takedown notice if they believe content on recyclingcentreireland.org/ infringes their copyright, and how we handle counter-notices.

2. Legal Framework

3. How to File a Copyright Notice

To file a copyright notice with recyclingcentreireland.org/, send a written notice to our designated agent (Section 12). Email is the fastest channel. Notices that don't include all the required elements (next section) cannot be processed and will be returned with an explanation of what is missing.

4. Required Notice Elements

A valid copyright notice must contain substantially the following:

1. Signature of the copyright owner or authorised agent. A physical or electronic signature is acceptable. State your authority — owner or agent — and, if you’re an agent, identify whom you act for.
2. Identification of the copyrighted work. Describe the specific work claimed to have been infringed. If multiple works at one site, a representative list is acceptable.
3. Identification of the infringing material. Provide the exact URL on recyclingcentreireland.org/ where the allegedly infringing material appears, and describe what the material is. URLs to a search-results page or a category index are insufficient — we need the specific page.
4. Your contact information. Postal address, telephone number, and email address.
5. A good-faith statement. The statement: “I have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorised by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.”
6. A statement of accuracy under penalty of perjury (or equivalent under Irish law). The statement: “The information in this notification is accurate, and I am the owner or am authorised to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.”

5. What Happens After You Submit a Notice

1. We acknowledge receipt within 5 business days, normally faster.
2. We review the notice for completeness. If any of the required elements are missing, we return the notice with an explanation. The clock does not start until a complete notice is received.
3. We assess obvious defects. If the notice is for material we obviously do not host (for example, an external site we link to but don’t control), or for which fair dealing is plain on the face of our use, we may decline to remove and explain why.
4. We remove or disable access expeditiously if the notice is valid. The exact timing depends on the page but is usually within 5–10 business days of a complete, valid notice.
5. We notify the affected page contributor (where applicable) and provide them with a copy of the notice so they can submit a counter-notice if they believe the takedown was improper.

6. Counter-Notice Procedure

If you believe content of yours was removed in error or as a result of misidentification, you may submit a counter-notice. A valid counter-notice contains:

• Your physical or electronic signature
• Identification of the material removed and the location at which it appeared before removal
• A statement under penalty of perjury (or equivalent under Irish law) that you have a good-faith belief the material was removed as a result of mistake or misidentification
• Your name, address, and telephone number
• A statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of Ireland (or, where applicable for US-DMCA-style claims, the relevant US Federal District Court), and that you will accept service of process from the original notice-sender

If we receive a valid counter-notice, we forward it to the original notice-sender. Unless the notice-sender confirms that they have initiated proceedings within 10–14 business days, we may restore the removed material.

7. Repeat-Infringer Policy

We maintain a policy of terminating, in appropriate circumstances, the access of contributors who are repeat infringers. Because recyclingcentreireland.org/ content is editorial — produced by our team, not user-uploaded — repeat-infringer issues at the user-account level are uncommon. Where a contractor, contributor, or third-party feed source repeatedly submits material that triggers valid copyright notices, their access is suspended or terminated.

8. Misrepresentation

9. Fair Dealing, Reporting on Current Events, and Public-Sector Information

recyclingcentreireland.org/ reports on matters of public interest using public records. Reporting on, summarising, or providing factual information about Irish recycling, waste management, and EPR schemes is protected by:

• Section 51 CRRA 2000 — fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study
• Section 52 CRRA 2000 — fair dealing for the purpose of criticism or review
• Section 51A CRRA 2000 — fair dealing for the purposes of reporting current events
• Article 5(3) of Directive 2001/29/EC — quotation, criticism, and reporting exceptions
• The PSI (Public Sector Information) framework — government-published material is generally re-usable under the licence terms each public body publishes (commonly CC-BY 4.0 for Irish public-sector data)

Where fair dealing is plain on the face of our use of material identified in a notice, we will explain that position in our response and may decline to remove. Notice-senders who disagree may pursue the matter in court.

10. Trademark Concerns

If you believe a trademark you own is being misused on recyclingcentreireland.org/, contact us at info@recyclingcentreireland.org with subject "Legal — trademark" and include: the trademark name and registration number (with the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland or applicable jurisdiction); the goods/services for which the mark is registered; the URL on recyclingcentreireland.org/ where the mark appears; and your contact information. We use council names, scheme-operator names ("Re-turn," "Repak," "WEEE Ireland," "ERP Ireland"), and agency names ("EPA," "DECC") to identify the body each page covers, which is normally a non-trademark descriptive use, but we evaluate each notice on its facts.

11. Defamation Concerns

If you believe a statement on recyclingcentreireland.org/ is defamatory under the Defamation Act 2009, contact us at info@recyclingcentreireland.org with subject “Legal — defamation” and identify the URL, the specific statement, why you believe it is false, and any documentation supporting the correction. We evaluate each notice with reference to the Defamation Act 2009 — including the section 26 defence of fair and reasonable publication on a matter of public interest, the section 17 defence of truth, and the section 24 defence of honest opinion — alongside applicable EU law and Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

12. Designated Agent

recyclingcentreireland.org/'s designated agent for receiving notices of claimed copyright infringement is: