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Chapter 6: Waste
Explosive and Pyrotechnic Waste
Small amounts of explosive and pyrotechnic waste are
generated and treated.
Explosive waste (from use in quarries) and pyrotechnic
waste (flares and distress rockets) are generated in small
quantities. The Navy undertakes destruction of pyrotechnic
waste and the small amounts of explosive waste left over
from quarry works that cannot legally be returned are
subject to controlled destruction on site.
Biological Waste Treatment
National food and biowaste regulations are having a
positive impact.
Composting and anaerobic digestion are the main
biological treatment processes for biodegradable wastes
(food waste, garden and park waste, sludges). With
an increasing focus at national and EU level on the
segregation and separate collection of food waste, it is
critical to have adequate waste treatment infrastructure in
the State.
In 2015, approximately 300,000 tonnes of biodegradable
waste was accepted at composting and anaerobic
digestion plants for treatment with authorised capacity at
approximately 540,000 tonnes (see Table 6.2). The Food
Waste Regulations, which require the segregation and
separate collection of commercial and household food
waste, are resulting in increasing amounts of organic
waste being available for recycling (Figure 6.11) and are
an example of regulation driving better outcomes for the
environment. The uptake of anaerobic digestion has been
slower in Ireland than other Member States.
When residual municipal waste is mechanically treated,
one of the outputs is organic fines. Organic fines need to
be biostabilised in order to reduce the biological activity
of the material. The quantity of biostabilised residual
waste increased from 50,000 tonnes in 2013 to 119,000
tonnes in 2015. The main outlet for this waste is landfill
cover. With municipal waste tonnages increasing, and
the number of open landfills decreasing, finding useful
and safe outlets for biostabilised residual waste will be a
growing challenge.
Sewage Sludge
Sewage sludge treatment capacity needs expansion to
cater for improving waste water treatment.
Sewage sludge is a by-product of the waste water
treatment process and includes biosolids removed from
waste water during treatment as well as residual organic
matter from the treatment process. Irish Water’s waste
water treatment plants produced 53,543 tonnes of sewage
sludge (dry solids) in 2014. Most of this sewage sludge
was treated and used on agricultural land as a fertiliser
or soil enhancer (EPA, 2015b). Research has shown that
additional capacity is needed for the treatment of sewage
sludge (EPA, 2014c). Irish Water published a Draft National
Wastewater Sludge Management Plan, which outlines its
strategy to ensure a nationwide, standardised approach to
managing waste water sludge for the next 25 years (Irish
Water, 2016). Some objectives of the plan are establishment
of long-term, secure and sustainable treatment routes and
outlets, and extraction of energy and other resources where
economically feasible. Sewage sludge also arises from
domestic septic tanks. The national sludge management
plan will need to take the management of domestic sewage
sludges into consideration.
Figure 6.11
Municipal Waste Accepted for Composting/Anaerobic Digestion, 2005‑2015 (Source: EPA)
0
50
100
150
200
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
ktonnes accepted
Waste Management
(Food Waste)
Regulations 2009
Household Food Waste
Regulations 2013