Vol. 497 No. 5
241 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the imminent closure of an aluminium recycling company (details supplied) in Cork city as a result of falling world prices for its recycled product; and his views on the implications of the closure of this established recycling enterprise, serving a large urban population, for the implementation of the Waste Management Act, 1996. [25353/98]
I am aware that the company in question, which is involved in the collection of metal cans for subsequent export and reprocessing, is experiencing market difficulties arising from a significant downturn in world prices for metal recyclables. Ongoing volatility in international markets for recyclables can clearly affect the development and growth of a sustainable recycling industry and the achievement of national and EU waste recovery objectives.
The Council of the European Union recently adopted conclusions arising from a Commission communication on the competitiveness of the recycling industries, which addressed the problems encountered by those industries in achieving and maintaining viability, and identified areas for action in order to support recycling activity. In particular, the Council welcomed the Commission's proposal for the establishment of a recycling forum, representing member states, economic operators and consumer and environmental organisations, to assess the key factors of competitiveness and identify the most appropriate mix of actions to be taken in respect of the main recycling sectors.
