Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 1113: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he is taking to ensure that businesses other than those serviced by a company (details supplied) have facilities available to them to dispose and recycle their waste products. [10989/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Waste Management Act 1996, there is a general duty of care on the holder of a waste certificate to ensure that such waste is disposed of in a manner that does not cause, or is unlikely to cause, environmental pollution. All businesses have a general responsibility to ensure their waste is collected by an authorised operator to be disposed of in the proper manner. Under the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 2003, major producers have the option of either complying directly with the producer responsibility obligations — that is, self compliance — or alternatively obtaining an exemption from such requirements by becoming a member of a packaging waste compliance scheme. I am satisfied that adequate options are available in regard to the proper treatment of waste arising from commercial activities.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 1114: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, in view of the Government's commitment to supporting small business, there is funding available to urban local authorities to provide commercial green waste recycling facilities, in view of the fact that publicly provided recycling centres in Dublin are now closed to professional landscapers and gardeners. [10990/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Waste management planning is primarily a function of local authorities and they are responsible for ensuring that facilities identified as being necessary in their regional waste management plans are provided. In general, access to such facilities for recycling purposes is in many cases provided free of direct charge in respect of normal household waste being sent for recycling. Those generating waste as a result of commercial activity can reasonably be expected to pay for its recovery, recycling or disposal. Since November 2002, €50 million has been allocated nationally from the environment fund in capital grant assistance towards the provision of a range of waste recycling and recovery facilities by local authorities, including composting-green waste facilities.

A further call for projects requiring funding under my Department's waste infrastructure capital grants scheme has recently been issued and I hope to allocate a fourth major tranche of funding before this summer. In addition to providing capital support to local authorities for recycling and recovery facilities, funding is also being provided from the environment fund on an ongoing basis towards the current operating costs of such facilities.