Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 80: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he is on course to comply with the EU Directives on waste management that require a reduction in the amount of organic waste going to landfill here by 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42963/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Meeting the requirements of the Landfill Directive is a key national priority in respect of waste management and I am committed to implementing the measures necessary to ensure that Ireland meets the 2010, and subsequent, EU landfill diversion targets.

In the coming weeks, I will make regulations to bring an entirely new approach to the management of our food waste, which will take effect from next year. The new regulations will require the source segregation and appropriate treatment of food waste arising from commercial premises.

In addition, I intend to use the powers already available to me under the Waste Management Acts to increase the landfill levy by the currently permitted maximum of €5 per tonne before the end of the year and a further €5 in the early weeks of 2010. This will bring the levy to €30 per tonne and begin to address the race to the bottom in landfill gate fees which we are now witnessing and which acts as a barrier to achieving the diversion targets.

I shall also be publishing a Bill on levies generally where further substantial increases in the landfill levy will be made. The Bill will also address the extension of levies to other waste facilities. Last year, my Department issued a circular to all local authorities to drive forward the roll out of brown bins and promote the use of home composting and the EPA National Waste Report 2007 indicates increased quantities of biodegradable waste are being dealt with by home composting. I intend to issue a further circular to local authorities to accelerate progress in the roll out of brown bins and to further promote the benefits of home composting.

I am confident that all of the above measures will contribute significantly to the achievement of the targets for the diversion of waste from landfill and a reduction in our overall use of such facilities.