Seanad debates

Wednesday, 27 February 2008

National Waste Strategy: Statements (Resumed)

 

11:00 am

Photo of Camillus GlynnCamillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire agus gabhaim comhghairdeas leis as ucht an jab atá déanta aige i dtaobh an chomhshaoil. I welcome the Minister, Deputy Gormley, to the House and congratulate him on the proactive measures he has taken in regard to the environment since he took office. It is one thing to talk the talk, but the Minister is also walking the walk, and that must be commended.

Waste management is next major question facing us and it has been a major issue for some time. It is the reality. As we all know, the reality that exists when one goes to bed at night is still the reality in the morning when one wakes up. Nothing will have changed.

A suite of policies developed by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government over the past decade has provided a framework for the implementation of national policy. This policy is premised on the internationally accepted waste hierarchy which favours prevention and minimisation of waste followed by reuse, recycling and energy recovery, with disposal to landfill being the least favoured option. There is no point in putting our problems into the earth and covering them with soil. If we do that, de facto we will plant the seed that will produce problems for future generations.

The programme for Government contains a range of commitments to waste management policy centred on the Government's continued support for the internationally recognised waste hierarchy, which places major emphasis on the prevention, reuse and recycling of waste while minimising reliance on landfill and other disposal options. The programme also makes major commitments to national waste policy. In particular, there is an emphasis on moving away from high reliance on incineration, foreseen in the national development plan and reflected in the regional waste management plans for which the local authorities have statutory responsibility, generally operating in regional groupings. It is intended that there would be a commitment to the increased use of alternative technologies, including those known as mechanical and biological treatment, MBT.

Capital costs of heavy waste infrastructure are not funded by the Exchequer but are provided by the private sector as entirely commercial developments or by local authorities by way of public private partnerships. Through the environment fund and, more recently, the Exchequer, however, the State co-funds local authority recycling facilities at a rate of 75%. The national development plan provides for a continuation of this funding and does not foresee its extension to heavy waste infrastructure, for example, landfills or incinerators.

A private individual has taken on the mantle of providing a recycling service in Mullingar and Westmeath County Council also provides such a service. I benefit from the availability of those two services. I am not allowed to mention names in the House, but I commend that local contractor, a young man who took his courage in his hands and provided this service. If one misses the waste collection one day, it is great that one can avail of the alternative service a few days later.

The introduction of the brown bin collection service is also welcome. This service collects household waste, grass cuttings, hedge clippings and other such waste which posed a major problem, especially in an urban setting. As a country man living in a town, I am aware of the problems such household waste has created. The innovation and the practical policy implemented by the members of Westmeath County Council, on which I was proud to serve for almost 25 years, has resulted in the introduction of the brown bin and the blue bin service. Therefore, the excuse cannot be made that one is producing waste that is not collectable. A service to collect all household waste is provided for by Westmeath County Council, on which I commend it. I ask the Minister to take note of the brave decisions on waste disposal taken by that council.

I was bred, born and reared in the country, with a strong farming background on my mother's side of the family. I am a strong advocate of farmers and farming methods. However, one matter has been drawn to my attention, namely, the spreading of slurry at certain times of the year on land whose soil is impervious, with a very small depth of arable soil covering the impervious soil. If the gradient of the land is towards a river which is usually the case, even a small amount of rainfall will result in a run-off into the river. I acknowledge that slurry is a very good fertiliser but I ask the Minister and his Department to ensure land which falls into this category would be enriched by other methods. I preface my remarks by reiterating that I am a strong advocate of the farming community and its methods in the main.

Ireland must meet challenging targets for the diversion of biodegradable waste from landfill. From 866,000 tonnes recovered in 2006, Ireland must achieve landfill diversion targets of 1.4 million in 2010, 1.7 million in 2013 and 1.8 million in 2016. The national strategy for biodegradable waste sets out a detailed set of measures to meet these targets. An immediate priority will be the roll-out of a brown bin service in line with the regional waste management plans drawn up by local authorities. I am aware that this is happening in the local authority area of Westmeath County Council and it is a marvellous service. It is also the intention to ensure adequate economic drivers to encourage diversion of this waste stream.

As a further step towards meeting the programme for Government commitment, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, has directed his Department to commission the international review of waste management policy provided for in the programme. It is intended that this review will provide a mechanism to give further effect to the commitments on waste management in the Government's programme. The review will examine the current statutory, organisational and operational arrangements of waste management infrastructure and services. Expected outputs from this study would include an analysis of the various technologies available to recover and dispose of waste in an environmentally responsible manner, including the potential for co-firing; the standards for mechanical and biological processes which should apply to waste management to match best international practice; and the scope for greater use of economic instruments to achieve recycling objectives and meet landfill diversion requirements.

These are some of the measures which the Minister and the Government have put in place. I wish the Minister and his Department every success in achieving the objectives set out.

I live in County Westmeath which is known as the lake county. It is regrettable to see the manner in which the shorelines of our lakes are used by people who avail of the facilities but leave piles of rubbish and other matter in black bags and in other receptacles and which would be best located in a refuse bin. It is not too much to ask a person to protect the environment which he or she has been lucky enough to have been born into. Even the poorest person in society can make one bequest to posterity by his or her contribution to ensuring the environment is clean and healthy.

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