David Stanton
Question:75 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government his plans to support measures to recycle used milk cartons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28424/03]
Written Answers. - Recycling Policy.
Composite beverage cartons are the most commonly used containers in Ireland and Europe for milk, packed fruit juices and other liquid foods. The recycling of post-consumer composite beverage cartons is generally more problematic than for other packaging materials, due to the light weight to volume ratio, sorting and pre-treatment requirements, high-end market specifications and the associated costs involved. Accordingly, the recycling rate for composite beverage cartons is generally lower than for other packaging materials.
A pilot beverage carton recycling initiative part-funded by Repak, the voluntary compliance scheme established by Irish industry to co-ordinate and finance the collection and recovery of packaging waste, was launched in July 2003, involving Dublin City Council and Cavan and Wicklow County Councils. The pilot initiative also involves some private waste collectors in a number of other counties. Under the initiative, households in the relevant areas which have a segregated household collection service can deposit used beverage cartons in their segregated bins for recycling. The collected used beverage cartons are subsequently baled for onward delivery to a paper mill in Scotland for reprocessing. Arising from the pilot scheme, it is proposed to extend the initiative nationwide to all households with a segregated collection service. Approximately 500,000 households, almost one third of all households nationally, already have these services, which are being progressively extended under the local and regional waste management plans.
This expanded beverage carton recycling initiative will be assisted by the development of additional material recovery facilities, at which dry recyclables can be sorted and baled for onward transfer to reprocessing outlets. Since November 2002, I have announced the allocation of over €22 million in grant assistance from the environment fund, financed from the proceeds of the landfill and plastic bag levies, towards the provision of waste recovery infrastructure under the waste recovery capital grants scheme announced last year. This is supporting the development, inter alia, of bring banks, civic amenity sites and two material recovery facilities, facilitating increased collection and recovery of used beverage containers and other recyclables in the years ahead. Further allocations will be announced shortly. In addition, I announced the allocation of €5 million to local authorities from the environment fund earlier this year to assist towards the operational costs of their recycling services.
Question No. 76 answered with Question No. 64.