Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 June 2021
58. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the audits that are conducted by the State to ensure that separated waste intended to be recycled from domestic customers of waste disposal companies is recycled and not disposed of in landfill or other ways in this country or after export; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33643/21]
View answerWaste collectors operate under waste collection permits. Conditions attached to these permits require collectors to separately collect segregated waste and to deliver this waste to suitable treatment facilities. Permit conditions are enforced by local authorities.
Waste treatment facilities operate under a waste facility permit from a local authority or a waste licence from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Operating conditions for and performance at permitted waste facilities are enforced by local authorities while operating conditions for and performance at licensed waste sites are enforced by the EPA.
Dublin City Council is designated as the National Competent Authority for the export, import and transit of waste shipments under S.I. No. 419 of 2007 Waste Management (Shipments of Waste) Regulations, 2007. These Regulations give effect to Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1013/2006 on transfrontier shipments of waste, which sets out notification procedures, specifies waste listings and strengthens enforcement provisions in relation to waste movements within, into and out of the European Union. Provisions of the Waste Shipment Regulation require that all exports of waste from the European Union destined for disposal shall be prohibited. The enforcement and monitoring of shipments of waste to and from Ireland is maintained by the National Transfrontier Shipments Office (NTFSO) within Dublin City Council, which monitors and enforces these requirements and maintains statistics and information on shipments of waste to and from Ireland.
