Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 651: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the end destination of all packaging collected under a scheme (details supplied). [30578/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Repak Limited was established by Irish industry in 1997 to promote, co-ordinate and finance the collection and recovery of packaging waste with a view to achieving Ireland's packaging waste recovery and recycling targets under the directive and is the only such approved compliance scheme in Ireland. Repak membership income is used to subsidise the collection of packaging waste from both the household and commercial sectors for the purposes of recycling.

The export of waste is regulated by local authorities in accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No. 259/93, as amended, which provides for a system of supervision and control to apply to shipments of waste within, into and out of the territory of the European Union. Under Regulation 259/93 a distinction is made between waste which is destined for final disposal, such as landfill, or for recovery or recycling. For waste which is specifically destined for recovery, a further distinction is made between: green list waste, Annex II of the regulation; amber list waste, Annex III of the regulation; and red list waste, Annex IV of the regulation.

Waste on each of these lists is connected to a particular control procedure. Shipments of all waste destined for disposal, and shipments of hazardous and semi-hazardous waste destined for recovery, are subject to the requirement of prior written notification and consent. Shipments of non-hazardous waste, namely green list waste, typically clean segregated recyclable waste fractions destined for recovery are not subject to the procedure of prior written notification. Such shipments enjoy unhindered movement within the EU and are only subject to the general information requirement that they be accompanied by certain information and documentation.

Recycled packaging waste material is an internationally traded commodity. Purchasers acquire tonnes of material at a price, which is dependent on market conditions; the material may be for their own direct use or traded a number of times before it reaches the end recycler. I understand that Repak operates a comprehensive internal control programme whereby all claims for packaging waste recovery subsidy are accompanied by source and destination documentation. At least 50% of tonnes subsidised are independently audited by firms of registered auditors. I understand further that according to Repak's records, which are subject to annual scrutiny by the Environmental Protection Agency, an estimated 479,000 tonnes of packaging waste were subsidised and collected for recovery during 2004.

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 652: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on whether the European Court of Justice ruling in the Texaco [i]v.[/i] Van De Walle case has implications for waste enforcement legislation here. [30579/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is currently considering, in consultation with the EPA, the implications of this European Court of Justice ruling for our waste management policies and legislation. The advice of the Office of the Attorney General in the matter has also been sought.

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 653: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to curtail the use of food macerators or grinders in domestic kitchens. [30580/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Under Article 5 of Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste, member states of the European Union are required to prepare and oversee the implementation of a national strategy on biodegradable waste which will set out measures to progressively divert biodegradable municipal waste away from landfill in accordance with specified targets over a fifteen year period.

In April 2004, Ireland's first draft national strategy on biodegradable waste, which was published for public consultation, set out a range of integrated measures designed to facilitate the achievement of these ambitious diversion targets. While the issue of food macerators or grinders, and the restriction of their use in domestic kitchens, is under consideration in the context of the draft national strategy on biodegradable waste, no final decisions have been taken in the matter. It is envisaged that the draft strategy will be finalised by end 2005.