Vol. 531 No. 2
141 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the information he has regarding the plans by the EU to increase targets under the waste packaging directive; and the extent to which current targets have been implemented to date. [5377/01]
Council Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste requires Ireland to achieve a recovery rate of 25% for such waste by 1 July 2001, and a 50% recovery rate by 31 December 2005, with associated recycling targets. Article 6 of the directive provides that the Council and the European Parliament shall, before 1 January 2001, and on the basis of proposals from the European Commission, set recovery and recycling targets for 2005 for the Community as a whole. The Commission has not yet formally submitted such proposals, though they are understood to be under preparation, with a view to submission to Council by 30 June 2001.
The EPA's national waste database report for 1998 indicated that an estimated 100,905 tonnes of packaging waste was recovered in that year, representing a recovery rate of 14.8%. I am satisfied that further progress has been made in the interim and expect shortly to receive an EPA report on estimated packaging waste recovery during 1999. My Department will liaise closely with Repak Limited and other relevant bodies with regard to the implementation of appropriate measures identified in recently completed consultancy studies with a view to ensuring the achievement of our recovery and recycling targets under EU Directive 94/62/EC.
142 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the reason there has been so little contact between his Department and manufacturers of plastic bottle containers to reduce, reuse, or recycle such containers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5381/01]
The largest European reprocessor of PET – plastic containers – is located in Ireland. Post-consumer PET is reprocessed at this facility into synthetic fibres that have a wide range of uses. However, PET containers must firstly undergo initial shredding and treatment, to stringent specifications, before such reprocessing. To date, only two facilities in Europe, located in France and the Netherlands, have been able to undertake this necessary pre-treatment. Accordingly, the recovery of PET containers, involving their separate collection, export to mainland Europe, treatment and re-importing for reprocessing, has not generally been pursued in Ireland because of the economics involved.
It is understood that an Irish recycling operation has recently purchased plant and equipment which may enable it to undertake the pre-treatment of PET containers. If this is found to be the case, it would be my objective to secure agreement on a producer responsibility initiative for the collection and recovery of PET containers as soon as possible. My Department has already held initial discussions with relevant stakeholders in this regard.
143 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the reasons he has not directly intervened to provide a State sponsored facility for the recycling of certain plastics. [5382/01]
It is not Government policy that the State should establish and operate waste reprocessing facilities.
Under the operational programme for environmental services, 1994-99, grant-aid was provided to assist in the development by the private sector of plastic recycling capacity. EU / Exchequer support of £100 million will be available under the National Development Plan 2000-06, through the regional operational programmes in respect of the provision of waste recovery infrastructure generally. Details of the proposed grants scheme are being finalised and will be published shortly.
The forthcoming policy statement on waste prevention and recovery will outline a range of measures that will be undertaken to minimise waste generation and ensure a sustained expansion in national recycling performance.
