Environmental Impact Assessments

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 October 2020

Tuesday, 6 October 2020

Questions (175)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

175. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if a thorough environmental impact assessment has been carried out to take account of unintended harmful consequences from plans outlined in the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy to create new rules to encourage construction firms to reuse more of their building waste in other construction projects; the safeguards that will be put in place to prevent firms from self-declaring certain construction and demolition waste as by-products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28089/20]

Written answers

Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications

Article 27 of the European Communities (Waste Directive) Regulations, 2011, provides that in certain circumstances a material may be treated as a by-product and not a waste.  Article 28 of the these Regulations sets out the grounds by which a material may achieve "end of waste" status. Ireland's Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy contains a number of measures to encourage greater use of both the Article 27 and Article 28 processes to minimise the volume of waste entering waste treatment facilities which could more appropriately be put to productive use elsewhere.

The Environmental Protection Agency has statutory functions for both Article 27 & 28 and as such will continue to be responsible for ensuring that such wastes can be put to beneficial use without damaging human health or the environment.  As Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, I am precluded from exercising any power or control of the Agency of a statutory function vested in it, under the Waste Management Act (amended) 1996 and the Environment Protection Agency Act, 1992.