Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 Sep 1999

Vol. 508 No. 1

Written Answers. - Waste Management.

Nora Owen

Question:

229 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she has considered the possibility of burning waste paper in some of the power generating stations operated by the ESB as this would appear to be a viable way of recycling waste paper which is causing a heavy increase in the use of landfill sites; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17701/99]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke):

Existing boilers in ESB power plants are not suitable for the combustion of waste paper. Oil and gas fired plant burn liquid and gaseous fuel respectively and cannot accommodate solid fuel. Coal or milled peat plant would require extensive modification and major investment to accommodate burning paper. The ESB has informed me that studies carried out by it indicate that the value of waste paper as a fuel would not justify the investment required for plant modifications.

I refer the Deputy to the Green Paper on Sustainable Energy published by my Department last week. Paragraph 9.2 of chapter 9 states that "the use of wastes for the purposes of power generation must be considered in the context of a waste management strategy, which favours prevention, minimisation, recycling and re-use over energy recovery". As the Deputy is aware, waste policy, in the first instance, is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, to whom I believe the Deputy has addressed a similar question.

In view of the steady destruction of large areas of forest around the world, the recycling of waste paper may be a more sensible solution than disposal by way of burning in power plants.