Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil le hoifig an Chinn Chomhairle, leis An Leas-Cheann Comhairle agus leis an Aire Stáit as ucht cead a thabhairt dom an cheist seo a ardú. Ba bhreá liom í a phlé as Gaeilge toisc go bhfuil an t-Aire Stáit anseo agus tá Gaeilge líofa aici, ach b'fhéidir gur cheart dom ar son an phobail i gcoitinne í a phlé as Béarla an uair seo.
The issue I wish to raise relates to the need for the Government to develop a policy on the anaerobic digestion of organic animal and human material which finds its way into landfill sites and causes considerable problems. It does not have the same benefits as in other countries where anaerobic digestion is in place. The Minister for the Environment and Local Government will be aware of the many signs around the country protesting against the construction of dumps. They generally read, "No Stench, No Seagulls, No Rats, No Leachate". This organic material, whether sewage sludge or food or livestock related, goes to landfill sites. That must be changed.
I appeal to the Minister of State and to the Government to look again at anaerobic digestion. I could list a number of countries which have developed what we know as anaerobic digestion. D520–D10
Anaerobic digestion produces conditions which encourage the natural breakdown of organic matter by bacteria in the absence of air. It provides an effective method of turning residues from livestock, farming, food processing or sewage sludge into biogas, which is rich in methane and can be used to generate heat and/or electricity, fibre which can be used as a nutrient rich soil conditioner, and a liquor which can be used as liquid fertiliser.
In Denmark there are 19 centralised biogas plants and 18 on-farm biogas plants currently operating and further new plants are under construction or planned. The development of biogas plants based on animal manure has been predominantly undertaken in centralised plants. Today these plants function well both technically and economically. At the centralised plants the animal manure is transported from farms to biogas plants and the residues are returned after digestion for use as a fertiliser. The manure may be co-digested with different waste products from the food industry. The total biomass input to the plants, including waste, ranges from 10,000 to 160,000 tonnes per year.
Landfill sites are being used throughout the country to dispose of animal and human material. Given the pressure to increase stocking levels, particularly in poultry and pig farming, farmers are faced with the dilemma of what to do with considerable amounts of organic matter. The only option they feel they have is to spread it on the land. However, the land can only take so much as it is not a sponge. It will eventually overflow and cause eutrophication. Many group water schemes are paying the price as a result of the presence of e.coli and other contaminants.
It was the last straw when 700 to 800 tonnes of sludge, which was discovered in the Ringsend area, was taken to a landfill site in Rogerstown Estuary. This will leach into the water courses and the sea. This is a primitive and unacceptable way to deal with what is a benefit if treated properly but an enormous problem if treated badly.
The benefits of anaerobic digestion are manifold. They include energy balance, reducing greenhouse gases, displacing the use of finite fossil fuels, recycling nutrients, reducing land and water pollution, reducing demand for peat, supporting organic agriculture, reducing odour and efficient electricity distribution. There are many economic benefits such as improving waste farm management, reducing spread of weeds and disease, contributing to nutrient regimes, financial incentives, biogas and energy, local economic development, meeting new regulatory pressures and reducing pathogens. Those benefits are not being harnessed. Instead we are causing problems. I ask the Minister to address this so that we do not waste resources and cause problems.
