Modernising Waste Management in Ireland

Historical

Waste management in Ireland historically got little attention from central government and exchequer funding, as it was seen as a local authority function. The problems included little regulatory framework and no external regulation of local authority waste activities. Low-technology options were widely used and it was clear by the mid-1990’s that Ireland’s recycling rate was among the lowest in the EU. Ireland overused the landfill network, had no biological treatment capability and no means of recovering energy from waste.

Time-line of change

1996: The Waste Management Act 1996 represented the first step as it introduced new regulations and new powers to public services. Regional waste management plans were also started.

1998: The Government policy document - “Waste Management: Changing our Ways” - was the first look at the state of our waste management sector. Recycling and recovery targets were set out, to be achieved over a fifteen year timeframe. The policy aimed to achieve the following by 2013;

• Diversion of 50% of household waste from landfill
• Minimum 65% reduction in biodegradable wastes consigned to landfill
• Recycling of 35% of municipal waste
• Recycling of 85% of construction waste (50% rate to be achieved by 2003)

2001: The waste management planning framework got going. Twenty-nine local
authorities were involved in six regional waste management plans, Cork City and County Councils developed individual plans, while three other authorities - Donegal, Kildare and Wicklow - decided on individual county plans. There was also an introduction to the problems of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

2002:  Waste prevention and recycling came to the fore with a Government policy document entitled - “Preventing and Recycling Waste: Delivering Change”. New Producer Responsibility rules were introduced.

2003: The Protection of the Environment Act 2003 introduced a number of important strategies to futher enforce the provisions of the waste code.

2005: Annual reports from the National Waste Prevention Programme (NWPP) kept the country informed on its need to prevent waste. An important feature of the reports was its focus on the extent of unauthorised waste activity in Ireland.

2007: The most up-to-date National Waste report is the 2007 edition and it can be viewed on the EPA website.

2008: The management of hazardous waste was added to by the National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2008-2012. The Environmental Protection Agency's WEEE enforcement also became more prominent.