Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 November 2021
56. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the steps he is taking in relation to persons having to pay a visible environmental management charge on used tyres which were used in silage storage even though the levy was already paid on the tyres when they were originally purchased; and his views on whether this is a disincentive to responsible disposal. [55172/21]
View answer64. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on providing a scheme to help remove historic waste tyres from farms. [55169/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 56 and 64 together.
The compliance scheme for tyres and waste tyres was introduced in 2017 and is operated by Repak ELT. Under the scheme, any tyres which have incurred the visible environmental charge (vEMC) are collected free of charge by Repak Elt through registered waste collectors. I understand Repak Elt has no records of tyres on which the charge has been paid subsequently being delivered to any farmers for use in silage storage purposes.
Tyres held on farms for silage storage purposes are considered historic and predate the introduction of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for tyres. The vEMC would not therefore have been applied to them. Recognising this issue, and in advance of the introduction of the scheme, my Department provided €700,000 to help remove historic waste tyres from farms. The funding was allocated across numerous geographical locations and the budget was fully expended. While there are no immediate plans to run further collection events, the issue will be kept under consideration.
In the case of such historic tyres, the primary responsibility for the management of this waste, including costs for removal or disposal, lies with the holder of the waste, i.e. the natural or legal person in possession of the waste, or the producer of the waste. The Waste Management Act 1996 imposes a general duty of care on holders of waste. A person may not hold, transport, recover or dispose of waste in a manner that causes, or is likely to cause environmental pollution.
