Dáil debates

Wednesday, 24 June 2009

2:00 pm

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 24: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will clarify his policy on the disposal of hazardous waste generated from incineration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25398/09]

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Under the Waste Management Acts the statutory responsibility for hazardous waste management planning, including such wastes generated by incineration, rests with the Environmental Protection Agency, which has recently published the National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2008-2012. The plan sets out the scope of legislative controls in relation to hazardous waste management and contains recommendations and options for the expansion of hazardous waste treatment facilities to ensure the better management of this waste stream and so that Ireland can fulfil the requirement of the EU Waste Framework Directive that a policy of national self sufficiency in disposal installations be adopted by all member states.

The EPA has recently launched a request for a tender to explore the technical and economic aspects of developing a national difficult waste management facility, the primary element of which will be a hazardous waste landfill. A final report on this study is expected by December 2009.

My Department has no role in determining the number, scale or location of hazardous waste management facilities, which are matters for the relevant planning authorities including, as appropriate, An Bord Pleanála and the EPA, in regard to its statutory functions in respect of hazardous waste and the licensing of relevant waste facilities generally.

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Minister said he is totally opposed to incineration, and I respect that view. He is now referring to the context of an international review. He is also imposing additional costs on landfill. Why did the Minister wait until two years after his appointment when contracts were signed in relation to Poolbeg, for example, to make a statement? Were there legal constraints on his doing so sooner? I would like to hear an explanation.

Once a licence has been issued to a landfill operator for the disposal of fly ash, can the Minister give a guarantee that local residents will be informed of the new facility for the disposal of hazardous material? A number of transparency issues arise if we wish to ensure that people understand what is going on. Can the Minister clarify?

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I am not sure what Deputy Hogan means when he speaks about the signing of contracts. The contracts to which he refers were signed two years ago.

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Why did the Minister not do something then?

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Deputy is talking about hazardous waste facilities. This is a matter for the EPA and for the contractor, whichever company that may be. As I outlined, the EPA has done extensive work on this. The National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2008-2012 is a statutory document prepared by the EPA in accordance with the Waste Management Acts 1996-2008. It also satisfies the Hazardous Waste Directive, which requires member states to draw up plans for hazardous waste and sets out priority actions which should be taken during the period of the plan on the prevention of hazardous waste, improved collection rates of certain categories of hazardous waste, the steps required to improve Ireland's self sufficiency in hazardous waste management and the management of certain legacy hazardous waste, such as contaminated soil. I have been doing that in the context of Haulbowline. Huge amounts of money have been invested in the remediation of that site.

The quantity of hazardous waste generated in 2006 was 284,000 tonnes, which is an 8% decrease since 2004. Some 31% of this waste was treated on site of generation at EPA/IPPC licensed facilities. This waste was subject, in various forms, to incineration, solvent recycling, landfill and use as a fuel. A further 21% was treated off site in Ireland by a network of authorised hazardous waste treatment facilities and 48% of it was exported for treatment abroad, mostly for thermal treatment but also for metal recovery, solvent recovery and landfill.

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Minister has taken a policy position regarding landfill, hazardous waste and incineration. Why did it take him two years to make these statements? Why did he not decide policy directly upon entering office rather than waiting for waste contracts to be signed?

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I do not understand what the Deputy means when he speaks about making a statement.

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Minister has said on many occasions that he expected An Bord Pleanála or the EPA to respect ministerial announcements rather than Government policy. In other words, what the Minister says on planning and development matters should be respected rather than Government policy. Some time ago when permission was granted for incineration in Poolbeg he said he expected An Bord Pleanála to respect what the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government said rather than Government policy, for which he did not have approval to underpin what he was saying.

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I did not say that.

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Why did he not do the same with regard to hazardous waste, the issue I am raising today?

Are residents likely to be fully informed of the consequences of living near a hazardous waste facility and of all matters relating the ash which must be disposed of?

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Local residents must be informed. Developments must go through the normal planning and licensing procedures. I do not understand what the Deputy is saying about making statements. Planning legislation requires that cognisance be taken of the policy of the Minister/Government.

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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That is not what the Minister said.

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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That is what I said. I have quoted that.

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Minister is changing what he is saying. He should read back over his statements.

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I am happy that a comprehensive review is almost completed. It will deal in detail with the best options for the future. The most important thing is that we divert biodegradable waste from landfill. That is our biggest task in the context of the Landfill Directive. The best way to do that is to issue the new food regulations. I hope Ireland will be one of the leading countries in doing so. That will divert food from restaurants, the commercial sector and homes away from landfill and get away from biodegradable waste, which causes methane and other greenhouse, gases.