asked the Minister for the Environment the number of companies involved in the disposal of toxic waste in the State; the amount of toxic waste disposed of in this country in any one year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Toxic Waste Disposal.
108.
Details of the total number of companies in this country involved in the disposal of toxic waste are not available in my Department. According to recently published figures approximately 66 per cent of toxic and dangerous waste arising here is disposed of by the producers on their own sites and a further 28 per cent is exported for disposal overseas. The remaining 6 per cent (about 3,000 tonnes) is disposed of by landfill either on local authority tipsites or by waste disposal contractors on their own sites.
109.
asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has for the establishment of a national agency to monitor the production, use and disposal of toxic substances.
Matters relating to the production and use of toxic substances are outside my jurisdiction. Controls with regard to the disposal of toxic waste are the responsibility of the main local authorities, that is county councils and county borough corporations.