Deirdre Clune
Question:213 Ms Clune asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of cars abandoned in 1999 and to date in 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11756/00]
Written Answers. - Abandoned Cars.
Deirdre Clune
Question:214 Ms Clune asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his policy for dealing with abandoned cars; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11757/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 and 214 together
Section 71 of the Waste Management Act, 1996, specifically prohibits the abandonment of vehicles on any land and empowers local authorities to deal appropriately with abandoned cars.
Section 32(1) of the 1996 Act prohibits the holding, transport, recovery or disposal of waste in a manner that causes or is likely to cause environmental pollution. This general duty of care applies, inter alia, to the owner of an end-of-life vehicle, ELV. ELVs may be transferred to one of a number of facilities that have been permitted under the Waste Management (Permit) Regulations, 1998, to undertake the dismantling and recovery of such vehicles. Local authorities are required under section 38(3) of the 1996 Act to provide or arrange for the provision of such facilities as appear to be necessary and reasonable, at which vehicles may be discarded.
I have no data in relation to the number of vehicles abandoned in 1999 and 2000 and no function in the collection of such data. In 1998, my Department invited the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, SIMI, to develop a voluntary producer responsibility initiative in relation to ELVs which would take account of a draft European Parliament and Council directive currently being developed. A SIMI proposal on an ELV management system for Ireland was submitted in December 1999. Having regard to the draft EU directive, this proposal includes measures aimed at preventing waste from vehicles; increasing the recovery of ELVs and their components, ensuring that economic operators establish collection systems for all ELVs, and ensuring that vehicles are dismantled and recovered in a manner which does not cause environmental pollution. The proposal has been examined in my Department and will shortly be the subject of detailed discussions with SIMI. It is my objective to secure agreement on an acceptable vehicle recovery scheme not later than autumn 2000.