Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the material collected for recycling by local authorities or licensed waste management operators in 2007 or 2008 that has been used for fuel or to supply waste to energy production; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3915/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The 2007 National Waste Report shows that some 32,000 tonnes of refuse derived fuel was utilised for waste to energy abroad in that year. The composition of this RDF material is not available. Information for 2008 will not be available until the publication of the National Waste Report for 2008 in early 2010.

The issue of the diversion of low grade recyclates to co-firing in cement kilns was raised by the Irish Waste Management Association at a recent meeting with my Department and further discussions are planned. Dr. Peter Bacon has also suggested the diversion of such material to waste to energy markets in the UK, in a report commissioned by REPAK. The level of material on hand, arising from the current difficulties in global markets for recyclates, has declined significantly as a result of markets reopening. Therefore, finding markets for the full recycling of material on hand remains the preferred solution.