Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Oct 1994

Vol. 446 No. 4

Written Answers. - Waste Recycling.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

65 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the plans, if any, his Department has to co-operate with the Department of the Environment to ensure that private sector producers and distributors of goods requiring packaging contribute towards the cost of recycling or otherwise take steps to reduce their input into the waste stream. [2254/94]

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. Quinn)

The strategy document "recycling for Ireland", which has been approved by the Government sets targets for increased recycling of Irish municipal wastes and identifies a range of policies and actions to this end.

Overall responsibility for recycling rests with the Minister for the Environment and he will introduce shortly a Waste Bill to support the implementation of the strategy. The Bill will include certain requirements to be met by producers and distributors.

Pending the enactment of the Waste Bill packaging interests have been invited to propose voluntary measures to achieve the recycling targets. If a satisfactory scheme is put together this will be taken into account in the proposed legislation. I and my Department co-operate closely with the Minister for the Environment in the implementation process.