Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1047. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the agencies and-or authorities that have responsibility for national campaigns on waste minimisation, prevention and general information for the public on these matters; the recent steps taken in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36298/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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My department works in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency and the local authority regional waste management offices on a range of national waste prevention and minimisation measures. The National Waste Prevention Programme (NWPP) is funded by my department and led by the EPA. The NWPP has been operating since 2004 and delivers a suite of initiatives and supports to reduce wasteful consumption of material, water and energy resources by changing behaviours in businesses, farms, households and the public sector. For businesses, it delivers programmes that stimulate resource efficiency and the circular economy. The 2017 Annual Report which details the programme's activities and achievements was published in recent months and is available at .

Waste prevention at regional and local level is a collaboration between Regional Waste Management Offices and local authorities.  Local authorities fund the operation and staffing of their respective Offices in addition to an annual grant from my department.

Each of the Regional Waste Management Offices has a full time Waste Prevention Officer who is dedicated to delivery of local waste prevention measures and works with key local authority staff such as Environmental Awareness Officers.

The Regional Waste Management Offices are engaged in a number of current public information campaigns on waste minimisation and prevention, including:

- recyclinglistireland.ie – a standardised list of items that can go into the recycling bin;

- A ‘Master Recycling’ programme, in partnership with environmental NGOs, is being rolled out to 650 workshops nationwide;

- A dedicated website, www.brownbin.ie, to show the public how to use the brown bin properly and reduce food waste; and

- Reuse Month – an annual nationwide campaign in October to promote reuse amongst householders and businesses.

Further information on the work being undertaken by the three Regional Waste Management Offices is available at: