Dan Boyle (Green Party)

The capacity for incineration in this country is 200,000 tonnes, which is no more than two average sized incinerators. The Senator is correct in noting that proposals have been made for upwards of a dozen incinerators but these cannot be viable because the waste for them does not exist. The only way to make them viable is to create more waste, which is not sustainable, or import waste from other countries, which we want to avoid. This is why the Government is dedicated to using other forms of waste management, such as mechanical and biological treatment, and a strategy based on international best practice will be published early next year.