Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 22 Feb 2001

Vol. 531 No. 2

Written Answers. - Waste Management.

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

135 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the way in which his Department evaluates the effectiveness of a company (details supplied) in minimising waste; if his Department has access to the list of members of this company; if this list is published; if the amount contributed by each company is published; if not, if he will undertake to publish it; if he has satisfied himself with the effectiveness of this company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5371/01]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey)

Repak Limited was established in 1997 by Irish industry as a voluntary compliance scheme to promote, co-ordinate and finance the collection and recovery of packaging waste, so as to achieve Ireland's recovery and recycling targets under Council Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste. Fees from member businesses finance Repak Limited activities.

Revenue generated has, to date, been applied mainly to support the collection and recovery of packaging waste from the domestic waste stream, and in this regard funding has been provided in support of segregated collection initiatives in Dublin, Gandon Enterprises limited, the rehab recycling partnership, and a number of companies engaged in waste recovery activities.

In addition, Repak Limited has recently initiated a new payments scheme to incentivise the recovery of additional volumes of packaging waste by waste contractors nationally. Repak Limited is also prepared to make funding available to assist local authorities in the establishment of segregated household waste collection services such as that initiated last year in the Dublin region.

In light of Ireland's obligations under EU Directive 94/62/EC and the position indicated by the national waste database report for 1998, I appointed consultants to review the policies and measures in place for achieving our packaging waste recovery targets and, in particular, to evaluate the performance of Repak Limited to date, the prospects for achieving Ireland's packaging waste recovery target for 2001, having regard to the activities of Repak Limited and other relevant or prospective developments, and the additional measures or structures which appear to be required in order the meet Ireland's packaging waste recycling-recovery targets for 2006.

In undertaking the review, the appointed consultants were mandated to make recommendations regarding further measures that could be undertaken by Repak Limited to support the recovery of packaging waste from the municipal waste stream, increase the recovery rate for packaging waste generally and support the development of indigenous reprocessing capacity for packaging waste.

The consultants' final report was received recently and is under detailed consideration in my Department. As outlined above, the primary function of Repak Limited is to support the recycling of packaging waste arisings. It has no specific function in relation to packaging waste minimisation. However, the fees structure applicable to Repak members, which is based on the quantity and nature of packaging placed on the market, directly incentivises minimisation and reuse of packaging.

Repak Limited is required to regularly notify local authorities of members located within their functional areas and local authorities are required to specify such information in public registers. It is understood that a full list of Repak members is accessible on the company's website or is otherwise available from the company.

Details of fees payable by individual Repak members are not published as such fees are based on the amount of packaging placed on the market and there are issues of commercial confidentiality involved. However, Repak Limited is required to publish annual reports incorporating audited statements of accounts.

I am satisfied that useful progress has been made by Repak Limited since it became operational in July 1997 but that, as with any such initiative, there is scope for ongoing improvement in the range and effectiveness of its activities, as experience is gained and expertise is developed. My Department will liaise closely with Repak Limited and other relevant bodies with regard to the implementation of appropriate measures identified in recent consultants' reports with a view to achieving the recovery and recycling targets specified in EU Directive 94/62/EC.