Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 13 Nov 2003

Vol. 574 No. 3

Written Answers. - Environmental Policy.

Ciarán Cuffe

Ceist:

247 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the plans he has to measure emissions from domestic fires; and if any information that he has in regard to emissions from same will be provided. [26911/03]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Gallagher)

The Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 (Ambient Air Quality Assessment and Management) Regulations 1999 designated the Environmental Protection Agency as the competent body for assessing ambient air quality in Ireland.

In May 2001 the agency published a preliminary assessment of air quality under article 5 of Council Directive 96/62/EC. The agency also publishes an annual report the most recent being the air quality monitoring annual report 2001. Both publications assess the national air quality situation, predicated in the main on local authority monitoring data, resulting from emissions from, inter alia, the domestic sector.

As regards emissions reporting, the agency is also the relevant national body which prepares national inventories of certain transboundary and greenhouse gases aggregated by sector, including the domestic sector. The general methods and data sources for the emissions estimates are set out in the Environmental Protection Agencys publication emissions to air 1990-1998 which also details emissions over this period. Further information on greenhouse gas emissions is available in the agency's national inventory report 2003 and the latest transboundary emission data, for 2001, is available in the Department's recent discussion paper on a strategy to reduce emissions of transboundary air pollution by 2010, or direct from the agency upon request.

A report entitled, Inventory of Dioxin and Furan Emissions to Air, Land and Water in Ireland for 2000 and 2010 published by the Environmental Protection Agency in December 2002 identifies the relative significance of various emission sources for dioxins including from uncontrolled combustion sources such as the home burning of domestic waste, house and vehicle fires, and Halloween bonfires.

With regard to smoke and sulphur dioxide emissions from the domestic burning of solid fuel my Department and the solid fuel trade group, representing the principal importers and distributors of solid fuel in Ireland, signed a voluntary agreement on 5 June 2002 which provides for significantly more stringent sulphur limits in bituminous coal and petcoke. It is estimated that the agreement will result incirca 6,000 tonnes less annual sulphur dioxide emissions from the domestic sector. As part of this agreement the Air Pollution Act 1987 (Marketing, Sale and Distribution of Fuels)(Amendment) Regulations 2003 were made extending the ban on the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous coal to an additional four urban areas, Bray, Kilkenny, Sligo and Tralee, with effect from 1 October 2003. This brings the total number of ban areas nationally to 16. Copies of all documents referred to are available in the Oireachtas Library.

Ciarán Cuffe

Ceist:

248 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the most recent figures for funds accruing from the plastic bag levy; and the breakdown of his plans for their expenditure. [26912/03]

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Cullen)

Since the inception of the plastic bag levy, receipts remitted to my Department by the Revenue Commissioners amount to almost €16.7 million. Introduction of the levy has led to a dramatic reduction in the number of disposable plastic bags provided to consumers with a consequent positive environmental benefit.

Revenues from the levy are paid into the environment fund, which also receives the proceeds of the landfill levy. The environment fund is used to support a wide range of waste management, litter and other environmental initiatives as provided for in section 74(9) of the Waste Management Act 1996, as inserted by section 12 of the Waste Management (Amendment) Act 2001. In addition, last month, I made new regulations, the Waste Management (Environment Fund) (Prescribed Payments) Regulations 2003 which will allow the environment fund to be used for a range of additional environmental initiatives and activities.

It is estimated that during 2003, environment fund receipts will amount to €39 million, €11 million of which is in respect of the plastic bag levy and €28 million of which is in respect of the landfill levy. In addition €16 million was carried over from 2002. The 2003 allocations from the environment fund provide for €30 million waste management capital grants, €17 million to be spent on current waste management and enforcement initiatives and €8 million on non-waste commitments, including pollution control, environmental awareness and the litter initiative. Allocations for 2004 have yet to be finalised but will include commitments made in respect of allocations carried over from 2003.