Written answers

Tuesday, 22 September 2009

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Waste Management

9:00 pm

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 323: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of prosecutions and the level of fines imposed on non-compliant companies in respect of packaging regulations; if enforcement of the packaging regulations has been funded with its own separate budget; if enforcement of the packaging regulations have been properly structured with specific staff; if the local authorities are the agencies with responsibility for enforcement of the packaging regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32346/09]

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Enforcement of waste legislation, including actions against illegal activity, is a matter for the local authorities and the Office of Environmental Enforcement. Data from the OEE shows that in 2008, 2034 inspections were carried out under the packaging regulations by the local authorities. While the OEE compiles statistics on the total number of prosecutions taken under the Waste Management Act, data are not collected specifically with regard to packaging.

I believe that enforcement of waste legislation is essential and I am providing €7.4m grant assistance from the Environment Fund to local authorities this year to support continuing waste enforcement. Some 120 local authority waste enforcement staff are funded under this grant scheme. In July 2008 I issued a policy direction under section 60 of the Waste Management Act 1996 to local authorities and the EPA to prepare, and publish, an Enforcement Policy in respect of Unauthorised Waste Activities and each authority completed this task by the end of 2008. The funding allocated will enable local authorities to implement their plans and carry out a detailed programme of enforcement during 2009.

Enforcement of the Packaging Regulations is a matter for each local authority within its functional area and my Department continues to be actively engaged with industry and the competent authorities to explore all methods to drive compliance with the Packaging Regulations. Packaging inspection planning is subject to the EU Recommendation for Minimum Criteria for Environmental Inspections in Member States (2001/331/EC) (RMCEI). This means that inspection plans and enforcement policies provide a basis for assigning priority based on risk and allocating available resources accordingly and allowing for consistent enforcement of environmental legislation (including Packaging Regulations) by local authorities. Inspection plans are subject to auditing by the EPA. These inspection plans provide the platform for a national systematic approach to inspection and enforcement and the OEE, through its Environmental Enforcement Network, has guided the development and implementation of local authority inspection plans under RMCEI since 2006.

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