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Sustainable Resource Use, Consumption and Waste
67
The
National Reform Programme
for Ireland
under the Europe
2020 strategy (Department of the
Taoiseach, 2011) identified key
linkages in the reform programme,
one of which was ‘decoupling
economic growth from resource
use while at the same time turning
environmental challenges into
growth and employment creation
opportunities’. Similarly, the
operation of resource-efficient
practices supports policy statements
in the
National Recovery Plan 2011–
2014
(Department of Finance, 2010)
relating to improving the efficiency
and competitiveness of companies,
through actions concerning energy
use and waste generation.
In March 2011 the revised EU Waste
Directive (EP and CEU, 2008) was
transposed into Irish law by the
European Communities (Waste
Directive) Regulations 2011
(SI 126 of 2011). In terms of resource
efficiency and waste management,
this is a hugely significant piece of
legislation which introduces many
new obligations for public and
private sector waste operations as
well as for regulatory activities. This
enhanced regulatory arrangement
has established a firm and enduring
platform that will permit Ireland
to build towards a more resource-
efficient, less wasteful and more
sustainable society.
In August 2011 the Government
consulted on a new National Waste
Strategy that included a number
of principles which are intended to
inform how the State deals with
waste in the coming decade. These
include, for example, implementation
of the waste hierarchy, investment,
waste prevention and market
intervention (including levies).
The long-term aim is to influence
production and consumption
behaviours to reduce waste,
discourage disposal, and ensure an
effective waste management market
and infrastructure (DECLG, 2011).
Many activities with significant
waste-generating and polluting
potential have been subjected to
Integrated Pollution Prevention
and Control licensing by the EPA.
These licences are enforced by
the EPA Office of Environmental
Enforcement. Local Authorities
regulate the movement of waste
as well as smaller waste facilities.
The implementation of the EPA
waste pre-treatment obligations
(prior to landfill or incineration) has
had a significant impact on landfill
diversion achievement (EPA, 2009b),
by requiring that all waste be pre-
treated in advance of landfilling to
recover value from the residuals
by producing refuse-derived fuel,
extraction of metal, removing
organics, etc. Since 2010 untreated
waste cannot be accepted at a
landfill.
The new National Waste Collection
Permit Office (single body for issuing
waste collection permits), established
in 2012, will contribute significantly
to more efficient regulation of
national waste collection activities.
Export of waste is regulated by the
National Transfrontier Shipment of
Waste Office in Dublin City Council
(NTFSO). The Government – through
NTFSO – has introduced significant
efficiencies for businesses and Local
Authorities through the electronic
documentation of hazardous waste
moved within, and exported from,
the State.
A wide range of specialist schemes
has also been introduced in Ireland
to deal with scheduled products,
substances and wastes as required
by EU Directives. These include
schemes for WEEE, batteries,
packaging, ELVs, tyres, restriction
of hazardous substances, deco-
paints, persistent organic pollutants,
polychlorinated biphenyls, ozone-
depleting substances and fluorinated
greenhouse gases (EPA, 2012b).
Not all these producer-responsibility-
type schemes are equally successful.
Recent EU developments under
the Waste Framework Directive
are leading to the introduction of
standards for secondary resources
manufactured from former waste
streams (so-called ‘end of waste’).
In addition, a range of national
regulatory and market-based
instruments have been utilised to
achieve more sustainable waste
management practices. These include
significant increases in the landfill
levy, as well as increases in the plastic
bag levy and mandatory source
separated collection of commercial
biowaste.