Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 April 2014
494. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the promotion of the use of recycled building materials in new construction projects here; the way in which this compares to the European norms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19510/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra495. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with respect to construction demolition and waste management policy, his views on introducing a target of using 50% minimum recycled materials for the construction of local authority-social housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19511/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra496. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the supports available to the construction industry to opt for a more recycled approach in terms of construction demolition and waste management that is good for the environment and meets current legislation requirements and is more financially viable to the companies in question; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19512/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 494 to 496, inclusive, together.
I fully support the use of recycled building material in new construction projects. My Department issued Best Practice Guidelines on the Preparation of Waste Management Plans for Construction and Demolition Projects in July 2006. The guidelines provide that prior to the commencement of development, the developer should be required to submit a formal Project Construction and Demolition Waste Management Plan to the local authority for agreement, prior to Commencement Notice stage. These guidelines advocate maximum reuse of materials on-site, their segregation to facilitate recycling when not reused on-site, and minimal disposal.
The European Commission estimates that construction and demolition (C&D) waste accounts for approximately 25% - 30% of all waste generated each year in the EU. The latest EPA National Waste Report, in respect of 2011, indicates that collected C&D wastes in Ireland have decreased by 83% from a peak of 17.8Mt in 2007 to just over 3Mt in 2011. The bulk of the tonnage collected in 2011 was made up of soil and stones (1,975,844t), with the remaining 1,027,847t consisting of other C&D waste materials such as rubble, metals, timber, plastic, glass, wood and mixed C&D waste. The previous national Waste Policy Statement, Changing our Ways, published in 1998, set an overall target recovery rate of at least 85% by 2013. Latest recovery rates for C&D waste in 2011 are well ahead of that target, at 97%. Recovery in this instance can mean recycling (material recovery), energy recovery (use of waste as a fuel other than in direct incineration) and biological recovery.
In terms of the use of such recycled materials in new local authority or social housing construction, my Department has supported a number of pilot projects under the main social housing investment programme, including in the Ballymun Regeneration Project, where one further innovative environmental initiative, involving the demolition and recycling of materials from the old Boiler House, is scheduled to be progressed this year. Social housing projects involving the demolition and construction of new replacement housing have the potential to support the maximum reuse of materials on-site. My Department, in consultation with the relevant housing authorities, will explore how best to incentivise the use of recycled building materials in social housing projects through the public procurement arrangements, while being mindful of the need to avoid restrictive tendering practices.
The on-going review of the Producer Responsibility concept in Ireland will examine the possibility for establishing of producer responsibility initiatives for construction and demolition projects. The final report of the review will be published in the coming months.
