Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2010
1519 Deputy Jan O’Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the regulations that are in place with regard to the distance a landfill dump must be away from dwelling houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33801/10]
View answerThe development and operation of a landfill is subject to the requirement to obtain a waste licence from the Environmental Protection Agency and planning permission from the local authority or An Bord Pleanála. With regard to waste licensing, Annex I, Paragraph 1 of the EU Landfill Directive 1999/31/EC imposes "General Requirements for all classes of landfills", which include requirements relating to location, including a requirement that the location of a landfill must, inter alia, take into consideration the distances from the boundary of the site to residential and recreational areas. A landfill can only be authorised if the characteristics of the site with respect to the specified requirements, or the corrective measures to be taken, indicate that the facility would not pose a serious environmental risk.
The EPA is required under national waste licensing legislation to attach to any licence which may be granted by it such conditions as the Agency considers necessary to ensure that there is full compliance with the Landfill Directive. With regard to planning legislation, applications for planning permission for all categories of development are considered by the relevant consenting authority taking account of, inter alia, the provisions of the development plan and other matters relating to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. There are therefore no specific provisions in planning legislation regarding the distance between waste management infrastructure and adjoining uses.
