Vol. 557 No. 1
429 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the financial incentive schemes in place or planned to encourage local authorities to provide and promote schemes to encourage the separation of waste materials by householders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21414/02]
Regional and local waste management plans provide for the introduction in urban areas of source segregation and separate collection of household waste. The roll-out of segregated and separate collection services is contingent in large part on the availability of materials recovery facilities, where dry recyclables are sorted and aggregated for delivery to reprocessing outlets, and biological treatment facilities for organic waste. In addition, recycling by householders is facilitated by the steady expansion by local authorities of bring banks and civic amenity sites which accept a wide range of recyclable waste streams.
A capital grant scheme for waste management infrastructure was launched on 12 March 2002, with a closing date for receipt of the first round of applications on 31 May 2002. This scheme will primarily support the provision of "high in waste hierarchy" waste recovery infrastructure, which is provided for or consistent with the objectives of local authority waste management plans. Eligible infrastructure includes civic amenity sties and other "bring" facilities, transfer stations and materials recovery and biological treatment facilities.
On 7 November 2002, I announced the allocation of €15 million in grant assistance towards the provision of recycling infrastructure. This first round of allocations will support the development of bring banks, civic amenity centres, composting facilities and the expansion of an existing materials recovery facility.
430 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the demon stration schemes which exist or are planned, which would enable local authorities to apply differential charging for waste collection service in order that households are encouraged to use the infrastructure available for recycling and composting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21415/02]
A number of local authorities already apply systems of differential waste charges which, in effect, incentivise the diversion of household waste to home composting and local "bring" facilities.
Government waste policy recognises that, as a matter of equity and to directly incentivise waste prevention/minimisation and recycling, the level of waste charges imposed on households and businesses, either directly or through gate fees, should be based on usage. Accordingly, the Government expects that all local authorities will move towards introducing weight/volume-related charging to the fullest extent possible within three years.
Research is under way on the effects of weight-based charges for solid waste disposal as part of the EPA environmental research, technological development and innovation programme for 2000 to 2006. The outputs from this research project should add significantly to available information on the subject and assist assessment of the potential impact of use-related charges on waste management practice. This research study is scheduled to conclude in 2003.
