John Bruton
Ceist:125 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment the expected increase in national annual arisings of hazardous waste in Ireland from their current level of 99,000 tonnes during the period 1994 to 1999.
Written Answers. - Hazardous Waste.
, Wexford): Hazardous waste generation in Ireland is small in relative terms and is significantly related to production in the chemical industry. Because of these factors, it is not possible to make a definite estimate of such waste quantities for the medium term.
The current direction of Irish hazardous waste management policies is, however, towards waste prevention/ reduction and cleaner technologies and not towards catering for a significant increase on present waste levels. Relevant measures in this regard include:—
—industrial licensing now commenced under the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992 which is based, inter alia, on the principle of waste prevention and reduction,
—discussions between my Department and the Federation of Irish Chemical Industries on the possibility of a voluntary agreement to reduce emissions and wastes.
—Government assistance for a Clean Technology Centre at Cork Regional Technical College and a parallel Cleaner Production Unit at University College Cork, and
—EPA powers to maintain and publish an emissions inventory for prescribed substances, which can include hazardous wastes.
Recovery and recycling are already the predominant treatment method for Irish hazardous wastes; some 54,100 tonnes of the total of 99,000 tonnes were managed in this way in 1992.