Vol. 414 No. 4
175 Mr. J. Bruton, Mr. J. Mitchell, Miss Flaherty, Mr. Connor and Mr. Carey asked the Minister for the Environment if proposals are under consideration for an EC directive, introducing civil liability for waste; and if he will outline the implications of this proposal for local authorities and others involved in waste disposal in Ireland.
I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 171 and 172 of 5 February 1991. The position is unchanged.
andMr. Carey the Minister for the Environment his views on whether each developed country should become self-sufficient in waste; and if he will outline the implications of such a principle for Ireland.
The principle of self-sufficiency in waste disposal established within EC policy is that the community as a whole should become self-sufficient, with member states moving towards that aim individually, taking into account geographical circumstances or the need for specialised installations for certain types of waste. The Basel Convention (under UNEP auspices) on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal requires parties to ensure adequate disposal facilities to the extent possible and minimisation of transboundary movement of hazardous and other wastes, consistent with the environmentally sound and efficient management of such wastes. The Basel Convention, however, clearly contemplates the transboundary movement of hazardous and other wastes if the State of export does not have the technical capacity or necessary facilities to dispose of the wastes in an environmentally sound and efficient manner.
Ireland supports all of these principles and is ordering its waste policies accordingly.
