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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Nov 1999

Vol. 510 No. 6

Written Answers. - Waste Disposal.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

290 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the way in which he will respond to the European Environment Agency's recent report, Environment in the EU at the Turn of the Century, which highlights that landfilling costs are far below those of incineration and, unless other regulations are in place, the market mechanisms act in direct opposition to the official community strategy. [23415/99]

The report in question notes, inter alia, current differences throughout Europe between the costs of landfill and incineration of non-hazardous waste, and concludes that these have to be counteracted either by regulatory measures to harmonise high environmental standards for waste management activities, including rules for the implementation of post-operative control measures, which would lead to an internalisation of external environmental costs, or other measures, including economic instruments such as a landfill tax.

All landfill facilities are subject to waste licensing by the Environmental Protection Agency, and significantly increased costs are being incurred by local authorities in meeting the high environmental standards being applied by the EPA in this regard. As outlined in Changing our Ways, the polluter pays principle requires that these costs should be fully reflected in landfill gate fees and waste charges, which may be expected to increase accordingly.

In accordance with the policy guidance outlined in Changing our Ways, emerging local and regional waste management plans provide for the development of an integrated network of waste management infrastructure, including facilities for materials recycling and the biological and thermal treatment of waste. In the context of the implementation of these plans, and having regard to their overall objectives, consideration will be given to such legislative or fiscal measures as may be necessary to ensure the proper management and treatment of wastes. In this regard, my Department, in consultation with the Department of Finance, has already initiated an assessment of issues and considerations relevant to the introduction of a landfill levy.
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