Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 February 2023
180. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the measures he is taking or planning to take to ensure the re-use of construction and demolition waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8840/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraConstruction represents, globally, one of the most resource intensive forms of economic activity. Improving the circularity rate of the domestic Construction & Demolition (C&D) sector has significant potential to improve Ireland’s circularity rate as a whole.
My Department has begun preparing the 2nd iteration of the current Whole-of-Government Circular Economy Strategy. As required under the Circular Economy Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 (‘the Act’), the new Strategy will contain a range of sectoral targets in relation to specified resource-intensive sectors, including C&D. The Strategy will be submitted for Government approval, following a public consultation, before the end of this year.
Additionally, a Circular Construction Roadmap is also being prepared my Department, in conjunction a an expert subgroup of the Construction Sector Group chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The Roadmap is intended to provide guidance to industry practitioners regarding circular construction and to identify, for further consideration by policymakers, potential regulatory and financial measures which could enhance the overall circularity of the C&D sector. The Roadmap will also be submitted to Government before the end of this year.
“The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, published in 2020, also committed to streamlining the application process for End-of-Waste and By-Product determinations operated by the Environmental Protection Agency. In fulfilment of this commitment, the Act contains provision for the making of Regulations in relation to, inter alia;
- The charging of fees for End-of-Waste and By-Product notifications
- The format of notifications and the information that must accompany them
- The circumstances in which applications may be refused or rejected
Regulations are currently being drafted in this regard, with a view to going to public consultation in H1 2023.
Separately, the EPA is in the process of developing criteria for a national End-of-Waste decision for recycled aggregate. A consultation opened on these draft criteria in February, with a view to finalising the criteria during 2023. The Agency is also in the process of developing criteria for national By-Product criteria for greenfield soil and stone, and for road planings.
Delivery of national criteria for these three streams will greatly facilitate the reuse of materials within the construction sector by obviating the need for companies to seek individual decisions where they can demonstrate compliance with the new criteria.
