Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The Minister has powers to promote waste management policies. This is becoming a recycling society; we are moving away from a throwaway culture. Recycling rates are increasing rapidly. We are using modern, environmentally safe methods for the final disposal of non-recyclable material. The Minister is driving this policy forward. There is concerted enforcement to tackle illegal waste activity. The Government programme will build on the achievements of recent years and re-energise the national effort to manage waste in a world class fashion. As I noted, there are new technologies such as mechanical and biological treatment — MBT, as it is known internationally — to reduce our reliance on incinerators. The Minister and his colleagues in the Department are endeavouring to increase that capacity. If they succeed, we will not require incineration at the level we would otherwise require.

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