Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

301. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the measures being taken to improve segregation of domestic green waste and to prevent contamination of waste being exported from the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17291/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On foot of the recent issues with the transit of a number of containers through Rotterdam, my Department and the National Transfrontier Shipments Office (NTFSO) have met with the Dutch Authorities to agree early warning systems for suspect shipments. The NTFSO has also carried out inspections of the facilities where the contaminated material was originally processed and has met with the waste broker concerned with a view to improving the broker’s inspection and monitoring procedures in order to reduce the risk of repeated incidents in the future. Since July 2015, it has been a condition of waste collection permits that collectors must accept a minimum list of recyclable materials. It is recognised that the co-mingled recycling bin can be contaminated with non-recyclable items due to a number of factors including awareness of what can or cannot be recycled on behalf of the household customer. To improve awareness rates, I have allocated funding of €1.6 million in 2017 towards a national waste campaign. 

This public information campaign, which is being developed by the 3 Regional Waste Management Planning Offices (RWMPOs) has already begun a brown bin programme to encourage households to (i) prevent food waste and (ii) deal with unavoidable food and organic waste more effectively. The RWMPOs will roll out further elements of a national education and awareness campaign as the year progresses which will highlight the environmental cost of contaminating your recycling bin and provide information to householders on preparing their waste and ensuring it is placed in the correct bin.

In a private market, waste collectors also have a responsibility and incentive to engage with their customers to make it clear what materials are acceptable in each bin. Likewise the facilities which receive this material are effectively gatekeepers in terms of  quality. Certain household waste collection companies have indicated that they are introducing penalties on householders who consistently contaminate bins and it is open to other companies to do the same.