Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The first part of Mr. Flynn's answer, in particular, plays out to the feeling out there among the sector that the EPA sees very little role for anaerobic digestion in dealing with waste. If I may expand on that a bit further, the experience for those who are either already involved in anaerobic digestion or trying to get involved in it is that the EPA just does not want anaerobic digestion or that it is pretty much against it. One term that was used was that it has almost a vindictive approach to anaerobic digestion. This plays out if you take, for example, the testing of digestate. That is carried out by the EPA, but the EPA has a UK standard, a European standard and then the EPA standard, which is almost unachievable. It is the same when it comes to the lagoon technology and the use of lagoons. It has a UK standard, a European standard and then individual tests - this goes back to the digestate as well - or independent testing done. The EPA always seems to find that fault. It plays out and harks back to the fact that anaerobic digestion just has not been rolled out in this country in terms of its role in dealing with waste and providing renewable energy. There is a feeling out there that the EPA is almost putting up roadblocks in that regard. I have visited a lot of these smaller plants. They deal with waste from chicken processing, pig processing, distilleries - all valid waste. Most of it has seen its end of life - there is no other use - and the intention is to use this to provide energy instead of burning fossil fuels. The feeling out there, however, is that the EPA just does not want to have anything to do with anaerobic digestion.