John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 869: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the policy of his Department in relation to the use of residential or commercial waste food disposers; if there is any pending legislation to ban their use; if his Department has issued guidelines or regulations in relation to their use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10421/06]

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 15 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. The issue of food macerators or grinders, and their use in domestic kitchens, is being looked at in the context of the final draft of this strategy which will be published shortly.