The Greens denied last night that the acceptance by the Minister for the Environment, John Gormley, that the country may need two incinerators represented a reversal of party policy and a U-turn on its election manifesto commitments.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio, Mr Gormley said that Ireland requires no more than two incinerators to deal with waste that could not be recycled or processed, rather than the eight that are currently planned.
He said the latest statistics from his department showed that if new waste technologies were introduced, such as mechanical biological treatment, Ireland would only need to incinerate 400,000 tonnes of waste a year by 2016. It was by no means certain that two incinerators would be constructed and alternatives were being considered, he added.
Speaking at a conference on recycling and waste yesterday, he said that in order to avoid EU fines Ireland would have to meet the target of diverting biodegradable waste from landfill required under the 1999 EU landfill directive. Otherwise there was a risk of infringement proceedings before the European Court of Justice, with the potential for fines, and that was one of the key challenges Ireland faced in the coming years.
"Under the landfill directive, we are committed to reducing the amount of waste going to landfill by 2010. It will mean reducing, or finding alternative treatment for at least 700,000 tonnes of waste by the end of 2010," said Mr Gormley. He noted that all technologies had a part to play in an integrated waste management system.
"I firmly believe that we can achieve our diversion targets without an over-reliance on incineration. The Programme for Government copperfastens this move away from a dependence on incineration or landfill by aiming for world class standards in terms of recycling levels and greater emphasis on technologies to mechanically and biologically manage our waste".
However, the Labour Party environment spokeswoman, Joanna Tuffy, maintained that Mr Gormley's acceptance of the need for at least two incinerators for municipal waste marked another remarkable U-turn on the part of the Green Party.
"Up to this we had been told that the Green Party were not going to get involved in other issues, such as the controversial payments to the Taoiseach, because they were too busy implementing the 'Green agenda' in their own departments, but from this statement it seems that they have capitulated on issues that the Greens have described as a core value, prior to the election," she said.
Ms Tuffy said the Green Party election manifesto committed the party to continue to oppose incineration of municipal waste.
"Presumably by suggesting that there should only be two incinerators, Minister Gormley is hoping to avoid having the proposed Poolbeg project proceed, but this will be little comfort to worried residents in Cork and Meath where planning permission has already been granted for incinerators." Cutting down on waste was the only way to reduce landfill and unwanted incinerators, she added.
