INCINERATION WILL “have a role to play in treating the problematic residual waste that cannot be recycled or reused” as well as providing a source of energy, according to the Department of the Environment.
But a discussion document, “Towards a new National Waste Policy”, envisages that decision-making on waste-management plans may be returned to councillors.
At present, it is held by city or county managers.
Waste management will continue to be a function of local authorities, acting in regional groupings. “The balance between the executive/elected member roles in preparing waste management plans will be re-examined,” the document says.
The document, published by Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan accepts that incinerators are “sometimes controversial”, but notes that Ireland’s first municipal “waste-to-energy” plant – near Duleek, Co Meath – is to open later this year.
It was prepared in the context of the programme for government, which pledged to deliver “a coherent approach to waste management, minimising the waste going to landfill and maximising resource recovery”, in line with EU policy.
Addressing Ireland’s “unacceptably” high level of dependence on landfill, which still accounts for over 60 per cent of all municipal waste, would be one of the “core priorities” of the new policy, according to the discussion document.
It seeks to promote discussion and “provide an opportunity for all interested parties to input into the development of a policy framework that will shape our approach to waste management for the next decade and beyond”, Mr Hogan said.
“The discussion document is not prescriptive – instead it sets out a range of possible policy initiatives and issues for wider consideration and presents a real opportunity for interested parties to contribute to shaping a new national waste policy.”
However, it says the economic challenges facing Ireland “may involve significant changes to the manner in which waste management services are delivered and regulated”, including a greater oversight role for the Environmental Protection Agency.
“It is intended that the strengths of both the public and private sectors will be harnessed to ensure effective and efficient management of waste at all tiers of the waste hierarchy” – from prevention and re-use to recycling and residual waste disposal.
“A balance will be struck between ensuring that appropriate conditions are created so that the development of necessary infrastructure occurs, and ensuring that proper controls are in place to address public and environmental concerns”, it says.
The document notes that Ireland moved from a recovery rate of just 9 per cent in 1998 to almost 40 per cent in 2009 – even outperforming its obligations under EU law in areas such as packaging and waste electrical and electronic equipment.
But it notes that newspaper waste represents a significant portion of the material in the average dry recyclable bin and “there is no producer responsibility scheme in place to support its collection and treatment” – something that may now be changed.
A pending review of all producer responsibility schemes, such as Repak, is to examine “mechanisms for applying appropriate financial penalties, where it has been clearly demonstrated that a scheme has breached any of the conditions of its approval”.
Comments and submissions on the document can be sent to the Department of the Environment before Friday, September 30th. E-mail: wasteconsultation@environ.ie
