Vol. 540 No. 1
98 Ms Clune asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of incinerators and thermal treatment plans that are planned throughout the country; his views on whether such capacity is warranted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19792/01]
Local authorities have been advised, in the waste policy statement, 1998, Changing our Ways, that achievement of national waste objectives requires, inter alia, a major reduction in reliance on landfill, in favour of an integrated waste management approach which utilises a range of treatment options to deliver ambitious recycling and recovery targets. The authorities have been asked to identify and fully assess the various issues involved, with a view to identifying the nature, scale and mix of facilities which, at a regional level, appear to offer the best balance at reasonable costs between maximised recovery of materials or energy and minimised environmental emissions. Against this background, the regional and local waste management plans, now at various stages of preparation and adoption, had proposed the development of six thermal treatment facilities.
