Vol. 438 No. 5
6 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment the up-to-date information on the tonnage and classification (organic, glass, paper and plastic) of waste being collected and disposed of in view of the fact that in the year 1984/1985, 1,557,078 tonnes of waste were collected and disposed of by local authorities but this figure excludes waste deposited by large firms or directly by the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
14 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment the up-to-date information on the tonnage and classification (organic, glass, paper and plastic) of waste being collected and disposed of in view of the fact that in the year 1984/1985, 1,557,078 tonnes of waste were collected and disposed of by local authorities but this figure excludes waste deposited by large firms or directly by the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Wexford): I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 14 together.
The data referred to is from the National Database on Waste published by an Foras Forbartha in 1986. It does not represent total municipal waste but only waste collected and/or disposed of by local authorities. Some 450,000 tonnes of non-muncipal waste, in the form of sewage sludge, is included in the figure referred to.
The national database to which I referred implies that the total amount of municipal waste generated in 1984, including wastes dealt with both by local authorities and the private sector, came to some 1.5 million tonnes. A recent municipal waste survey commissioned by my Department, and which is still being completed, indicates that the corresponding figure for 1993 is of the order of two million tonnes. This would represent an increase of over 30 per cent for the nine year period since 1984. Pending completion of the 1993 survey, it is not yet possible to indicate the breakdown of the two million tonne total into its materials sub-components. I will let the Deputy have this information as soon as it is available.
I will be grey by the time that information becomes available. May I ask the Minister how he calculates these large tonnage figures? Does he realise, for instance, that a number of local authorities are to a large extent dreaming up figures for recycling, and indeed are clapping themselves on the back as they continue to wallow in the waste they are creating? Does he accept that the exclusion of firms and the public makes the figures totally unacceptable for carrying out any type of planning and also makes it difficult, for instance, to see what the future will be for Kerbside, which has 50 employees facing redundancy in July? Does the Minister not believe that a period of 19 years since the last waste directive is a long time to be dragging one's feet on this issue while the mountain of refuse is increasing yearly?
(Wexford): I would not like to criticise the efforts being made by the local authorities in the area of recycling. The analysis we are presently undertaking is almost complete and until such time as that is available the only other figure we have is that of the two million tonnes. I would remind the Deputy that figures from the ERM study of 1991 indicate that there was 1.97 million tonnes of household and commercial solid waste in Ireland, 62 per cent of which was household waste and 38 per cent was commercial waste. Therefore, two million tonnes, which seems to be the acceptable figure, appears to be emerging from the survey we are undertaking at the moment.
Deputy Avril Doyle is giving way to Deputy Sargent.
When the waste Bill is published will the Minister produce more up to date figures than those from 1984-85? If he intends to do that, can he indicate when that will be, as I have failed to secure an answer in this regard from the Taoiseach?
(Wexford): The figure of two million tonnes is from an analysis that is being carried out at present which was initiated in late 1993. It is being carried out in conjunction with the recycling strategy we are preparing at present. Those are the latest figures and we could not have any more up to date figures.
In the context of this question and of the overall problem with waste management at this time, what is the logic in relation to the European directive that places an upper limit on the amount of waste that can be recycled and recovered? I realise we have a long way to go to reach that upper limit, but I cannot understand the logic of an upper limit. Surely we should strive to recycle as much as possible of this waste?
(Wexford): It is our intention to set figures that we can reasonably achieve here, taking into account the small population and the demographic problems we have in respect of collection, etc.
With regard to the funding available for recycling, we have a particular problem in County Monaghan with mushroom waste compost, of which 3,000-4,000 tonnes is produced per week. In England this compost is used for power generating plants. Surveys carried out by the IFA and other bodies indicate that we are not making any progress in obtaining information regarding the possibility of grant-aid for similar utilisation of this compost.
(Wexford): In 1993, £500,000 in grant-aid was made available by the Department of the Environment for recycling. This was allocated to various projects around the country. If Deputy Leonard encourages companies known to him to make such applications, they will be considered in the normal way.
When the Minister talks about recycling, would he focus his thoughts on the possibility of reducing, as his senior colleague has said, hazardous waste? In the demographic layout of Ireland it was possible at one time not to have such widespread collection and to deal with much of the waste in situ. Composting and the feeding of animals would have taken care of a considerable amount; 30 per cent is compostable at present.
(Wexford): I would inform the Deputy that reduction and minimisation of hazardous waste is the main priority of the Department. Following that we would endeavour to carry out as much recycling as possible.
In reply to the question, the Minister indicated that £0.5 million was available for grants. Would he indicate whether he has had any complaints about the administration of grants or the appointment of people to recycle waste in the various counties and whether he will amend the regulations in this regard?
(Wexford): Yes, there have been some problems associated with projects we grant-aided but, like all industries, some have been very good and others not so good. I should like to think that, overall, the projects we have grant-aided have been reasonably successful. A few have gone to the wall but most have survived and are operating very well.
