Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
161. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide an update on efforts to reduce construction and demolition waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38710/23]
View answerGlobally construction represents one of the most resource intensive forms of economic activity. Improving the circularity rate of the domestic Construction & Demolition (C&D) sector has significant potential to improve Ireland’s circularity rate as a whole.
My Department has begun preparing the 2nd iteration of the current Whole-of-Government Circular Economy Strategy. As required under the Circular Economy Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022, the new Strategy will contain a range of sectoral targets in relation to specified resource-intensive sectors, including C&D. Following a public consultation, the Strategy will be submitted for Government approval.
Additionally, a Circular Construction Roadmap is being prepared my Department, in conjunction with an expert subgroup of the Construction Sector Group chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. The Roadmap is intended to provide guidance to industry practitioners regarding circular construction and to identify, for further consideration by policymakers, potential regulatory and financial measures which could enhance the overall circularity of the C&D sector. The Roadmap is in drafting and will also be submitted to Government for approval.
'The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, 2020', also committed to streamlining the application process for End-of-Waste and By-Product determinations operated by the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA). In fulfilment of this commitment, the Circular Economy Miscellaneous Provisions Act, contains provision for the making of Regulations in relation to, inter alia;
- The charging of fees for End-of-Waste and By-Product notifications
- The format of notifications and the information that must accompany them
- The circumstances in which applications may be refused or rejected
Regulations are currently being drafted in this regard, with a view to going to public consultation this autumn.
Separately, the EPA is in the process of developing criteria for a national End-of-Waste decision for recycled aggregate. A consultation on these draft criteria has closed and publication of the criteria is expected before year end. The Agency also expects to publish criteria for National By-Product decisions for road plannings this year and for greenfield soil and stone early in 2024.
Delivery of national criteria for these three streams will greatly facilitate the reuse of materials within the construction sector by obviating the need for companies to seek individual decisions where they can demonstrate compliance with the new criteria.
