Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 17: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, further to Parliamentary Question No. 195 of 28 April 2010, his reason for not supporting faster resolutions of difficulties caused by odours from landfills through amending legislation. [22159/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I recognise that a significant proportion of complaints received by the Environmental Protection Agency relate to odour problems at licensed waste facilities. A range of measures are being pursued to address these issues, including significant enforcement efforts, the revision of waste licences to require odour management plans, and the publication of guidelines setting minimum acceptable pre-treatment criteria for municipal solid waste being landfilled. Furthermore, the Food Waste Regulations, which I made last December and which come into effect in July, will reduce significantly the level of biodegradable waste being landfilled. On foot of these measures, I do not consider that further legislation is needed in this area.

Where non-compliance is detected, an escalating series of enforcement actions, from ongoing communication to warning letters, legal notices and ultimately, Court proceedings are utilised. EPA resources are managed and directed on an ongoing basis to focus the enforcement effort to where the risks or potential risks are highest and a combination of enforcement tools is used to bring about changes in environmental performance. In response to complaints relating to landfill odours, the EPA has undertaken a number of actions, including use of site agents, communication with residents' groups and other stakeholders, and assessment of the landfill gas management systems employed. Full details are contained in the Focus on Environmental Enforcement In Ireland report in respect of the years 2006-2008, which is available on the EPA website, www.epa.ie.