Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 71 together.It should be noted that a recovery levy could not be applied to landfill as this is a disposal activity and not a waste recovery option. In any event, a landfill levy of €75 per tonne is already in place.

The information requested regarding recovery levy is not available as the potential yield would depend on a wide range of factors including whether any such levy, inter alia:

- would apply to all recovery operations, of which incineration in just one, or incineration only;

- would apply to recovery or incineration activity in Ireland only or to waste exported from Ireland for recovery / incineration elsewhere in the EU;

- would be introduced as a standalone measure or in parallel to an increase in landfill levy;

- would include exemptions from the charge - for example, for certain materials or specific recovery activities that make beneficial use of waste for landfill engineering.

National waste statistics are published by the EPA and are available at: www.epa.ie/our-services/monitoring--assessment/waste/national-waste-statistics/municipal/

The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy contains a range of measures to reform and strengthen waste management with a greater focus on prevention. It also sets out a range of objectives to drive higher recycling rates including the introduction of a recovery levy, which will be provided for under the Circular Economy Bill, and a commensurate increase in the landfill levy. It should be noted that these measures are intended to effect behavioural change and move Ireland higher up the waste hierarchy and not as revenue raising.