Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2021
85. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his attention has been drawn to the services provided by a company (details supplied) for the recycling of problematic waste; if such services have a role to play in the efforts to recycle difficult waste generally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45092/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraWaste management services in Ireland are provided by many individual operators, all of whom are subject to waste permit or licencing requirements and compliance with all other applicable environmental and other relevant legislation. My role as Minister is to set the overall policy and regulatory framework within which statutory authorities regulate and service providers operate. It would not be appropriate for me in my role as Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to comment on any individual service provider. I published our new national waste policy for the period 2020-2025, “A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy” in September 2020. This plan contains a range of measures to reform and strengthen waste management with a greater focus on prevention through product design and consumer choice. The measures outlined in the Waste Action Plan will ensure that we continue to meet our European targets for waste and will reflect the level of ambition in the waste and climate areas at EU level.
The Waste Action Plan contains a number of measures which will assist in the management of problematic waste streams including a drive towards higher levels of segregation of waste streams to support investment in treatment capacity and a commitment to formalising the role of civic amenity sites and agreeing a standardised list of waste streams accepted at such sites.
