Vol. 517 No. 2
121 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the amount of funding allocated to Dublin Corporation in each of the years since the Government came into office for the specific purpose of waste recycling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9481/00]
Under the EU funded operational programme for environmental services 1994-1999, Dublin Corporation received grants of £17,243 in 1997 and £6,896 in 1999, in respect of a recycling project.
In so far as the financing of waste services is concerned, regard must be had to the need to give effect to the polluter pays principle. National waste management policy, as set out in the policy statement, Changing our Ways, strongly advocates that local authorities move rapidly towards full cost recoupment for the waste services which they provide, by means of use-related waste charges levied on all waste producers, including households and commercial-business concerns. Currently, Dublin Corporation is one of a very small number of local authorities that do not levy household waste charges.
122 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the amount of funding allocated by way of subvention to companies engaged in recycling in each of the years since the Government came into office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9482/00]
Under the EU funded operational programme for environmental services 1994-1999, a total of £4.778 million in grant assistance was allocated for the provision of recycling infrastructure by the private sector. Grant payments during the relevant period were as follows:
|
1997 (3rd and 4th quarters) |
£1.163m |
|
1998 |
£1.365m |
|
1999 |
£1.364m |
123 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his views on the viability of the recycling industry; his views on his Department's role in supporting this industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9483/00]
124 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his Department's policy on the recycling of waste; the action, if any, he is taking to address the unattractiveness of some parts of the industry to business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9484/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 124 together.
It is the intention to further expand upon the policy issues and guidance outlined in the 1998 policy statement Changing our Ways with the publication this year of a further policy statement focusing on waste minimisation, recycling and waste recovery generally. This policy document will address the factors and practical considerations which are relevant to the achievement of Government policy objectives and targets in this area, and will outline the scope of measures which will be undertaken in the interests of a sustained expansion in recycling performance.
This policy statement will be informed by the recently published national waste database report for 1998. This indicated, inter alia, that while the amount of municipal waste recycled rose by 42% since 1995 to nearly 167,000 tonnes, the overall recycling rate for this waste stream was 9%. An estimated 2.1 million tonnes of reported industrial waste was recovered in 1998, a recovery rate of 26.6%.
