Bernard J. Durkan
Question:428 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the progress which has been made with regard to waste management in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2702/03]
Written Answers. - Waste Management.
There has been considerable progress in waste management over the past 12 months both in terms of new initiatives and strengthened regulatory controls to drive forward the modernisation of waste services and infrastructure.
A major policy statement – Preventing and Recycling Waste: Delivering Change – published in March 2002, addresses the factors and practical considerations that are relevant to the achievement of Government policy objectives in relation to the prevention and recycling of waste. In line with this, some €14.5 million has been provided in the first round of allocations under the waste infrastructure capital grants scheme which is targeted at recycling infrastructure. This will fund 55 local authority recycling projects. Recycling infrastructure and services have expanded. Segregated domestic collection services have now been provided to around one third of all households in the State, including in Dublin, Galway, Waterford, Limerick, Louth, Meath, Kerry, Tipperary, Kildare, Longford and Monaghan. Additional bring banks and modern civic amenity sites have also been provided in many areas.
Repak, having reported that Ireland met its EU target of recovering 25% of packaging waste in 2001, continued to report progress towards meeting the 2005 50% target. My Department's task force on the revision of the packaging regulations finalised its work and draft packaging regulations were formally notified to the European Commission in October 2002. These will introduce a ban on the landfilling of most commercial packaging waste from 1 March 2003.
Almost 45,000 composting units have been provided to householders around the country at subsidised rates in recent years. The national construction and demolition waste council was established in June 2002. This council, a voluntary initiative by the construction industry, has as its objective the securing of a significant increase in the recycling of construction and demolition waste. Other producer responsibility initiatives are being progressed, including in relation to end of life vehicles, newsprint and tyres.
Tenders were sought in September 2002 for the provision of an all-island waste management service for waste fridges and freezers throughout the island of Ireland. The plastic bag levy was introduced in March 2002, and has had a dramatic impact on consumption of disposable plastic bags. It is a valuable initiative in raising awareness of litter and waste management initiatives generally and is widely supported by the public. A levy of €15 per tonne of waste disposed to landfill came into effect in June 2002. The proceeds, which like the plastic bag levy, are payable into a new environment fund, will drive a variety of waste management and other environmental initiatives.
Important developments in waste legislation, in the interests of more effective management and control, include the coming into effect of the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2001 which facilitate better control of waste movements and the Waste Management (Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2002, which prohibit the landfilling of liquid waste and certain hazardous and infectious wastes in new landfills from July 2001, in hazardous landfills from July 2002 and in all landfills from July 2009. The regulations also prohibit the landfilling of whole tyres in new or hazardous landfill facilities from July 2003 and of shredded tyres from July 2006. These dates are extended to July 2009 in the case of existing landfill facilities. In addition, the recently published Protection of the Environment Bill 2003 contains a number of significant provisions to strengthen the enforcement powers of local authorities and the EPA in the waste management area.