The Green Party has called for a new semi-state national recycling agency to promote "waste reduction, re-use and recycling" of all drinks containers.
The party proposed that a deposit be placed on cans, glass and plastic containers, whereby people would receive a levy when they returned them to the place of purchase, which it maintains would encourage recycling.
"This levy would be used solely in support of the national recycling industry," said Mr Dan Boyle TD, Green Party finance spokesman.
The party also suggested that the national recycling agency would be in charge of the distribution of levies and be partly responsible for managing the Irish glass bottle company, Ardagh Glass in Ringsend, which closed in early July with 375 job losses.
"Instead of building incinerators to burn waste we should be maintaining existing jobs and creating employment opportunities in recycling," said Mr Ciaran Cuffe TD, Green Party spokesman for the environment.
Mr Gerry Lynch, branch secretary of SIPTU, called for the Government "to take every step possible" either to overturn Ardagh's decision or "take over the running of this vital cog in the waste management industry".