Vol. 571 No. 1
1296 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the plans he has to ensure that the health of local people is taken into account in the drawing up of local waste management plans; if he intends to amend the legislation accordingly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20583/03]
Under Part II of the Waste Management Act 1996, each local authority is required to make a waste management plan in respect of its functional area. These plans are required, inter alia, to address the prevention or minimisation of the production or harmful nature of waste, and to ensure that such waste as cannot be prevented or recovered is disposed of without causing environmental pollution. The definition of “environmental pollution” in this context covers the holding, transport, recovery or disposal of waste in a manner which would, to a significant extent, endanger human health or harm the environment. Given this explicit connection with human health considerations, it is not proposed to amend the legislation in the manner suggested.
