Vol. 451 No. 8
131 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that most Government Departments have no policy for recovery and recycling of waste paper; if he will have arrangements made to investigate this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7429/95]
147 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for the Environment the arrangements, if any, he has made for the recycling of old telephone directories which have been in use in his Department. [7689/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 147 together.
In line with the commitment in A Government of Renewal, my Department is developing guidelines for the adoption of better environmental management throughout the public sector. This will include formulating environmental management plans incorporating waste minimisation, green purchasing and recycling policies.
In my Department, all waste paper, including old telephone directories, arising in the Dublin and Shannon offices is channelled to recycling/re-use outlets. Old telephone directories and the bulk of other waste paper arising in the Ballina office is channelled to a re-use outlet.
132 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for the Environment if his Department is in consultation with groups or working parties dealing with waste paper recycling; and if so, the terms of reference and membership of such groups. [7430/95]
Following the publication of the strategy document Recycling for Ireland in July 1994, the Irish Business and Employers' Confederation set up an industry task force on recycling to develop a strategy for the recovery and recycling of packaging waste, including paper packaging waste. The task force is examining various issues involved in the implementation of the national recycling strategy and EU Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste.
The Government mandate for the IBEC examination was set out in general terms in pages 18 and 19 of Recycling for Ireland. The task force comprises some 20 members broadly representative of business and industry under the chairmanship of Mr. Stephen O'Connor, Waterford Foods plc. IBEC have indicated that they will submit an interim report of the task force in the near future.
A study has been jointly commissioned by my Department and National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI) in relation to the increased use of newspapers for animal bedding and related uses. The study is being carried out by Teagasc and meetings are held for the review of progress from time to time between representatives of the Department, NNI and Teagasc.
133 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for the Environment his paper recycling target for 1995. [7431/95]
The strategy document Recycling for Ireland (July 1994) set an overall target of diverting some 20 per cent of household and commercial waste from landfill by 1999.
No specific paper recycling rate has been set for 1995. A recovery target of 35,000 tonnes (or 25 per cent) has been set for paper packaging waste to be achieved by end 1999.
