Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 491: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the recycling facilities which are available here for such products as glass, paper and plastic; the percentage of waste product here suitable for recycling or that is recycled here; if he has satisfied himself that enough effort is being made to maximise the benefits of recycling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14315/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department does not have detailed data on private sector recycling and recovery facilities. It is accepted, however, that while there is an ever-increasing number of recyclables collection facilities, a great deal of the actual recycling is carried out in other countries. In the case of municipal waste, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that some 69% of recycling took place abroad in 2003. A range of measures designed to promote recycling is already in place and the available data shows that these are having a significant impact.

These measures include the progressive roll-out of segregated household collection of dry recyclables — kerbside green bin collection services — to more than 560,000 households, or some 42% of all households in the State. The number of bring banks has doubled since 1998 and now stands at approximately 1,700, with more being provided on an ongoing basis. The number of civic amenity sites has nearly doubled with approximately 60 in place. Some recycling centres are at earlier stages of development. The mandatory obligation under the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 2003 on those placing packaging on the market to segregate specified packaging waste, including aluminium, fibreboard, glass, paper, plastic sheeting, steel and wood arising on their premises and have it collected by authorised operators for recycling is widely accepted to be contributing to a significant increase in the recycling rates for these materials in the commercial sector. The successful producer-responsibility initiatives for packaging waste, farm plastics and construction and demolition waste will be extended to other areas such as tyres, newsprint, end-of-life vehicles and electrical and electronic equipment. The development of markets for recyclable materials is to be taken forward under the aegis of a market development group which was established in July 2004.

Biodegradable municipal waste is now to be targeted for major improvements in recycling and a national strategy on biodegradable waste to guide efforts in this area will be finalised later this year. The changeover to pay-by-use waste charging systems, which commenced in January, will enable householders to reduce their waste charges by increasing their recycling rates, thereby minimising the need for waste to be collected for disposal.

Significant progress has been made in increasing recycling levels in Ireland in recent years. The latest figures available on municipal waste generation, recovery and disposal are contained in the national waste database interim report for 2003, published by the Environmental Protection Agency in December 2004. According to the report, the recycling rate in the municipal waste stream has advanced to 28.4% in 2003, up from 20.7% in 2002. I envisage that further improvements in our recycling efforts will continue to be made as a result of the ongoing implementation of the local and regional waste management plans.