Bernard Allen
Ceist:36 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment when he will be in a position to publish the national policy for waste management.
Written Answers. - Waste Management.
Policy on waste management has developed continuously since the making of the European Communities (Waste) Regulations, 1979. A range of regulations has since been made on waste related matters, including toxic and dangerous wastes, transhipment, waste oils, asbestos and PCB waste. A comprehensive Bill on waste is now being prepared in my Department.
A number of reports relevant to waste policy have been published, notably the National Data Base on Waste (An Foras Forbartha, 1986) and Waste Disposal in Ireland (A Discussion of the Major Issues) (An Foras Forbartha, 1987). The Environment Action Programme outlined a concerted set of initiatives on waste, including waste reduction, recycling and the provision of a central hazardous waste incinerator. My Department have more recently commissioned a study to assess the overall potential for recycling in Ireland and to advise on strategies for increasing recycling levels.
Waste questions form an important part of national and international environment policies and initiatives will continue to be developed to address them.