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Waste Disposal.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 May 2005

Tuesday, 10 May 2005

Ceisteanna (403)

Jimmy Deenihan

Ceist:

455 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of electrical retailers regarding the new directive on recycling of electronic waste and to the fact that there has been no consultation with the retailers regarding the disposal of such waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14914/05]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Implementation of the EU directive on waste electrical and electronic equipment, which came into effect on 13 February 2003, requires close co-operation between all stakeholders - producers, retailers and central and local government. For this purpose, a task force representative of all relevant sectors including retailers was established in February 2003 to draw up proposals for implementing the directive. A draft report by the task force was published in April 2004; the report examined the issues surrounding implementation of the directive and made several recommendations on the collection, recycling, financing, regulation and reporting arrangements that need to be put in place in advance of free take-back of waste electrical and electronic equipment, which will commence on 13 August 2005. A public consultation followed, the results of which assisted the preparation of draft regulations I published in April last.

Following ongoing consultations with relevant stakeholders, including retailers, these draft regulations lay down conditions concerning time limits for the obligation to take back waste electrical and electronic equipment and on the availability of waste electrical and electronic equipment for immediate collection where a new item of similar electrical and electronic equipment is being delivered. They also propose that retailers who register their premises with their local authority should be allowed to avail of an exemption from the normal waste permitting requirements for the storage and transport of waste electrical and electronic equipment in certain circumstances, under a modified permitting regime, which will be considerably less burdensome than the normal collection and waste permitting requirements, and may, subject to the agreement of the appropriate local authorities, make alternative arrangements to in-store take-back provided that such arrangements are not more inconvenient for the purchaser and remain free of charge. These draft regulations are now the subject of a consultative process following which they will be finalised and published in advance of the coming into effect of the directive.

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