Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 28 Jan 1999

Vol. 499 No. 2

Written Answers. - Waste Management.

Brendan Howlin

Ceist:

12 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has satisfied himself that the voluntary scheme for the recycling of packaging waste has been successful; if he has further satisfied himself that every local authority is fulfilling its obligation under packaging waste regulations; his views on whether the Environmental Protection Agency would be a better agency to enforce compliance with the regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2072/99]

Gay Mitchell

Ceist:

16 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the steps, if any, he has taken to secure the implementation of the EU Packaging Directives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2127/99]

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

55 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will report on the progress being made by a company (details supplied) in the context of the implementation of the Waste Management Act, 1996. [25429/98]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. D. Wallace)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 16 and 55 together.

Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste requires Ireland to achieve recovery rates of 25 per cent or more for packaging by 30 June 2001 and 50 per cent or more by 31 December 2005.

In accordance with the principle of producer responsibility, Repak Ltd. was established by Irish industry to promote, co-ordinate and finance the collection and recovery of packaging waste, so as to achieve these national recycling-recovery targets. Repak Ltd. is an approved body under the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations, 1997, and businesses participating in its waste recovery scheme are exempt from obligations which would otherwise apply under the regulations.

Repak Limited's activities are financed by fees from these member businesses. The income generated has to date been applied mainly to support the collection and recovery of packaging waste from the domestic waste stream. In this regard, I understand that in 1998, financial assistance amounting to over £1 million was provided to Kerbside Dublin and Gandon Enterprises Ltd., the Rehab Recycling Partnership, to assist their recycling activities.

I am satisfied that useful progress has been made by Repak Ltd. since it became operational in July 1997 but that there is considerable scope for further expansion of its packaging waste recovery activities. Accordingly, I welcome current proposals by the company substantially to develop its operations during 1999. In addition to providing ongoing support for the recovery of domestic packaging waste, I am aware that Repak Ltd. intends to significantly expand its staffing structure; arrange for the free collection of up to nearly 90,000 tonnes of in-house packaging waste generated by members; enter into contractual arrangements for the recycling of up to 112,000 tonnes of packaging waste; support the development by an appropriate urban authority of an integrated "kerbside" collect scheme for domestic packaging waste, and expand the advisory, training and support services provided to members.

I will continue to closely monitor developments during 1999, in constructive consultation with the company.

Each local authority is responsible for the enforcement of the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations, 1997, within its functional area, and all authorities are expected to take requisite measures to ensure that packaging producers comply with their obligations under the regulations. The Minister for the Environment and Local Government has on several recent occasions underlined to local authorities the importance which we attach to the success of this important recycling initiative.

The Environmental Protection Agency has been tasked with a range of specialised and complex functions, which are either inappropriate to, or require expertise which is unavailable to, local authorities generally. On this basis, it is not apparent that enforcement of the 1997 regulations is a function which is appropriate to the agency, or that it could reasonably be expected to deploy resources equivalent to those cumulatively available to local authorities around the country.