Kildare businesses announced as finalists for the 2025 Repak Resource Awards

Three Kildare businesses and a Kildare business leader have been shortlisted as finalists in the 2025 Repak Resource Awards (replacing the Pakman Awards.)

The Repak Resource Awards are Ireland’s leading environmental and sustainability awards, and celebrate Ireland’s leaders in waste prevention, reuse, circular design, and community-led environmental initiatives.

This year sees the addition of two new categories; the Circular Community Award and the Circular Design Award celebrate community-led efforts and innovation in sustainable design.

Each category in the programme highlights the creativity, leadership and impact of businesses tackling Ireland’s pressing environmental challenges.

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Coghlan’s Bakerys, based in Naas, Co. Kildare has been nominated for the Single Use Plastics Award, which is sponsored by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment.

Coghlan’s Bakery replaced 5 - 10kg liquid egg bag-in-box packaging with bulk 1-tonne IBC containers, eliminating the need for single-use plastic bags, spouts, and cardboard boxes. This change prevents around 2 tonnes of non-recyclable plastic waste annually, cuts cardboard use entirely, and improves transport and storage efficiency.

The success has inspired further ingredient shifts to bulk supply, significantly reducing packaging per litre of egg and supporting the bakery’s circular economy goals. Other finalists in this category include Glenpatrick Spring Water Ltd & Kilkenny Nutritional Ltd and Shabra Plastics & Recycling Ltd.

Heffernan Tyres, based in Kildare town, has been nominated for the Tyre Champion Award, which is sponsored by Circol ELT. Heffernan Tyres is promoting sustainability in agriculture through CTIS to cut fuel use and soil compaction, wheel alignment to extend tyre life, and eco-friendly GRI tyres made from sustainable materials.

They have aligned over 100 tractors, partnered to distribute GRI tyres in Ireland, and plan to launch a full package of tyres, CTIS, and alignment in 2026, helping farmers save costs and reduce emissions. The other finalist in this category is Addible Ltd.

Rubbish Film Festival has been nominated for the Environmental Education and Community Initiative Award, which is sponsored by the EPA. The Rubbish Film Festival engages Transition Year students in Kildare, in climate action by creating one-minute films on recycling and sustainability.

Using a Learn–Create–Share model, it combines SDG education with hands-on media skills, sparking community dialogue through screenings and social media. In 2025 it reached 160 schools, 1,900 students, and was named an official SDG Champion. The festival boosts recycling awareness, inspires behaviour change, and aims to expand nationwide to 50,000 students annually.

Other finalists in this category include the Regional Waste Management Planning Offices and Dublin City Farm & Ecology Centre.

Jason Carolan from Aldi, which has its head office in Naas, Co. Kildare, has been nominated for the ESG Leader Award, sponsored by Producer Register Ltd. Carolan has led Aldi’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy in packaging, resource management, and operational sustainability since 2023.

He has led innovations from vacuum packed mince to recycled PET/aluminium wine bottles and glass lightweighting, removing 600+ tonnes of packaging in 2024 and raising recyclability to 99.2%.

Carolan oversaw RVM installation across all 163 stores, enabling 200 million DRS returns and a 140% return rate. Aldi has been nominated for the Battery and WEEE Champion Award, sponsored by WEEE Ireland.

This year, twelve winners will be announced at a ceremony at The Shelbourne Hotel on Thursday, 23 October 2025.

The Repak Resource Awards are regarded as one of the most prestigious accolades in the environmental sector, honouring those who lead in sustainability and environmental efforts, including grassroots initiatives, design innovations and cross-sector collaboration, which are becoming essential drivers of circular change.

Each category winner is eligible for the Overall Repak Resource Award, which celebrates outstanding achievements in recycling and waste management, innovation and grassroots environmental action.