Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 332: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he intends issuing new guidelines to local authorities on waste permits; and if he will make a statement on the difficulties builders are encountering disposing of rubble. [5859/06]

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

Last summer, I published the draft Waste Management (Facility Permit and Registration) Regulations and the draft Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations as part of a public consultation process. These draft regulations amend the Waste Management (Permit) Regulations 1998 and the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2001, respectively.

Public advertisements invited relevant stakeholders and other interested parties to submit comments on the draft regulations to my Department. In excess of 50 comprehensive submissions were received, several of which came from stakeholders with an interest in the building/construction industry. My Department is currently examining all of the submissions in detail with a view to incorporating any necessary amendments into both sets of draft regulations. I will issue relevant guidelines to all local authorities once the new regulations are formally made.

On the more general issue of waste in the building industry, my Department has for a number of years been engaged, in partnership with industry, in developing standards and raising awareness to improve waste management practices. This is being done through the national construction and demolition waste council, NCDWC. In September 2004 the NCDWC launched the voluntary construction industry initiative, which involves all key participants in the construction industry committing to a series of specific actions to increase the levels of recycling in this waste stream. In tandem with this, my Department has developed draft best practice guidelines on the preparation of waste management plans for construction and demolition projects. The plans introduce the concept of on-site construction and demolition waste management plans which will apply to projects above certain specified thresholds.

Following a period of public consultation the guidelines have been finalised and are being put to the council for its formal endorsement. I expect to be in a position to publish the guidelines shortly.