asked the Minister for the Environment the reasons for the failure to implement within the allotted period two EEC directives on the management and disposal of toxic wastes harmful to the environment, and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC Directives on Toxic Waste.
9.
I assume that the directives to which the Deputy refers are the Directive on Waste Oils adopted on 16 June 1975, and the Directive on the Disposal of PCB's (polychlorinated biphenyls) adopted on 6 April 1976.
Administrative measures have been taken to implement the Directive on Waste Oils. The directive was circulated to local authorities in August 1975, and they were requested to assemble the information necessary to implement the directive. As a result of surveys carried out and the steps taken by local authorities in co-operation with the private waste oil collection sector at the request of the Department, the quantity of waste oils collected for recycling has increased by 88 per cent between 1975 and 1978, that is, from 500,000 to 940,000 gallons. The further steps that may be necessary to implement the directive are under consideration, including the making of regulations under the European Communities Act, 1972.
The Directive on the Disposal of PCB's is closely linked with the directive adopted on 27 July 1976, on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances, mainly PCB's. The implementation of that directive is a matter for the Minister for Labour and draft regulations to implement it have been forwarded by his Department to the Commission for observations. I intend to make regulations under the European Communities Act, 1972, implementing the disposal directive as soon as the Commission have given their views on the marketing and use directive.