Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 285: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps his Department will take to reduce the over packaging of goods and promote the use of biodegradable packaging. [19626/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Article 9 and Annex II of Directive 94/62/EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste provides that packaging may not be placed on the market within the EU unless it complies with specified "Essential Requirements". Firstly, packaging must be prevented so that only the minimum amount necessary is used for the containment, protection, handling, delivery and presentation of goods. Secondly, packaging must be recoverable — either by material recycling, by energy recovery, by composting or by biodegradation.

Packaging material intended to be designated as organically recoverable must be inherently and ultimately biodegradable. The material must be capable of disintegration in a biological waste treatment facility without detriment to the process and should not result in a negative effect on the quality of product. CEN standards for conformity assessment of packaging and packaging waste with the Essential Requirements have been produced and a harmonised European Standard has been adopted and published.

The Programme for Government gives a clear commitment to the implementation of effective waste management policies based on the waste hierarchy which places greatest emphasis on waste prevention, minimisation and reuse. We must further reduce our reliance on landfill and this can best be achieved by focusing in on the upper tier of the hierarchy. The National Strategy Group on Packaging Waste Recycling, which comprises public / private stakeholders such as Repak, IBEC, producers, waste collectors, reprocessors, local authorities, the EPA and my Department, is currently developing a five-year strategy to achieve new higher targets for recovering and recycling packaging waste. Waste prevention and minimisation measures are at the heart of that strategy. It is hoped to have the Strategy completed before the end of 2007.

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Waste Report 2005, which was published in January 2007, reported that 925,221 tonnes of packaging waste was generated in that year, up from 850,911 tonnes in 2004 and from 819,863 tonnes in 2003. While the evidence is that the trend over the period 2003 — 2005 in the production of packaging waste was upwards, there has also been a rapid increase in the population of this country, coupled with unprecedented economic growth and a significant rise in single person household occupancy. All of these are contributory factors towards the recent growth in packaging waste arisings.

However, some positive trends have emerged: Ireland has enjoyed considerable success in recent years in meeting targets for the recovery and recycling of this significant waste stream. Data from the EPA show that the 25% recovery target for 2001 set under Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste was achieved and also that, with 59.9% recycling of packaging waste in 2005, Ireland has not only exceeded the 2005 recovery target of 50% set under the Directive but has virtually reached the 60% target required by end 2011, a full six years ahead of schedule.

Ireland's recycling rate for packaging waste now compares favourably with many EU countries who have long been regarded as leaders in environmental protection. In this particular area, Ireland was in sixth place amongst EU Member States in 2004 (the latest year for which data across all EU Member States is available), finishing higher than countries like Sweden, France, Denmark and Finland.

My Department actively participated in, and contributed proactively to, discussions at EU level on a new Waste Framework Directive, on which political agreement was reached at the Environment Council meeting which I attended last week. The objectives of the Directive include implementing a more ambitious and effective waste prevention policy in the EU. It will also encourage reuse and recycling of waste in line with the policies outlined in the EU Thematic Strategy on the Prevention and Recycling of Waste. It is likely that legislation will be required to transpose the new waste framework directive into Irish law once the proposed Directive has been formally adopted at EU level.