Arthur Morgan
Question:343 Mr. Morgan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the place on the waste management hierarchy on which his Department categorises the placing of tyres on farms. [2678/05]
View answerTuesday, 1 February 2005
Questions (341, 342, 343)
Arthur Morgan
Question:344 Mr. Morgan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that, according to the IFA, silage pits no longer constitute best practise as a farming technique; and if this has any implications for his Department’s policy on the placing of tyres on farms. [2679/05]
View answerArthur Morgan
Question:345 Mr. Morgan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has data on the extent to which tyres are being burnt illegally on farms in the State. [2680/05]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 343 to 345, inclusive, together.
The Waste Management Acts 1996 to 2003 place a general duty of care on the holders of waste to ensure that it is disposed of in a manner which does not cause environmental pollution. In addition, under the Air Pollution Act 1987, the occupier of any premises or land is prohibited from causing or permitting an emission in such a quantity or manner as to be a nuisance. The enforcement of waste and air pollution legislation is primarily a matter for the relevant local authority and my Department has no direct function in the matter. However, as part of the race against waste campaign, I am considering ways in which better awareness about the issues surrounding the uncontrolled burning of waste can be created.
I have publicly stated my concerns regarding possible inappropriate practices in the way waste tyres are managed. It is imperative that waste tyres are not put to inappropriate uses such as unauthorised burning, uncontrolled disposal or the formation of indiscriminate stockpiles. These practices are not acceptable as they can cause nuisance and pose both environmental and health hazards and infringe waste and other environmental legislation.
My Department has written to local authorities asking them to carry out inspections of tyre outlets with a view to improving current practices in the management of waste tyres. The inspections are to be carried out as part of the local authorities' enforcement action plans for 2005. I want to see the tyre industry co-operate with the local authorities to achieve more effective management so that any unacceptable practices are eliminated. If the desired response is not forthcoming I will not hesitate in bringing forward regulations with a view to tightening controls in this area.
My Department has also written to State bodies with large vehicle fleets and to the tyre industry asking them to review their practices in relation how they manage this particular waste stream. The internationally recognised waste management hierarchy places reuse and recycling ahead of other forms of disposal. However, re-use will not necessarily provide the best practicable environmental option in every circumstance. This is ultimately dependent on both national and local circumstances, taking account of both the impact on the environment and resource use. Use of tyres on silage pits is considered to represent a beneficial use in circumstances where human health is not endangered and the process does not cause harm to the environment, the use of tyres is suitable for the purpose and is limited to the extent which is strictly necessary, and the tyres replace other materials which would have had to be used for that purpose, thereby conserving natural resources.
I am not aware of the IFA statement referred to by the Deputy. The use of waste tyres to hold down silage pit covering has lessened over time due to increased use of baled silage. In response to the reduced availability of traditional disposal and re-use routes for tyres my Department has been having discussions with the Irish Tyre Industry Association, ITIA, with a view to establishing a producer responsibility initiative for waste tyres. These discussions are ongoing and I expect to put in place the necessary arrangements for such an initiative later this year. My Department does not have data on the illegal burning of tyres on farms.