The EPA has responsibility for the compilation of national waste statistics. In accordance with Commission Decision 97/138/EC, pursuant to Council Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste, the EPA is required to submit annual packaging waste returns to the European Commission within 18 months of the end of the relevant year. The return for 1999 estimated that 122,586 tonnes of packaging waste were recycled in that year, representing a recycling rate of 17.4% of packaging waste arisings. The recovery figures are estimated by aggregating the packaging waste reported as recovered by relevant companies.