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Ireland’s Environment – An Assessment 2016
104
Ireland has some waste infrastructure deficits, such as the
lack of a hazardous waste landfill, and currently has limited
capacity for other infrastructure (waste to energy, landfill,
recycling). The tracking of built and planned national
waste infrastructure capacity, and monitoring trends in
export of waste, is key to waste management planning. If
Ireland is largely dependent on its export market and has
insufficiently developed national capacity, we are vulnerable
to external forces such as economic recession, currency
fluctuations and any changes to import policy in the EU.
Ireland is at risk of failing to meet some of its future EU
waste targets, in particular the recovery and recycling of
end-of-life vehicles and portable battery collection. In order
to achieve these targets, there will need to be a concerted
effort by all stakeholders to bring in the necessary measures.
There is scope for additional EPR schemes. The farm
hazardous waste collection initiative has been a
tremendous success. A similar initiative could be rolled out
for household hazardous waste streams, which, owing to a
lack of awareness and/or outlets, are improperly managed
(CSO, 2016).
The consolidation of waste management planning and
waste enforcement regions will result in more focused,
strategic and consistent waste management planning
and enforcement. A key challenge will be ensuring that
the lead authorities for these regions are adequately
resourced to carry out these important roles. Another
challenge the regions face is achievement of the targets
set out in their 2015‑2021 plans. The plans and target
achievement are supported through Local Authority
Executive Orders, however waste management is carried
out by the private sector with the result that competition
and market forces will significantly influence how waste
is directed for treatment.
Marine litter prevention and generation are linked to a
variety of human activities and policy areas, such as waste
and waste water management, product design, shipping,
fisheries policies, consumption and behavioural patterns.
Successful implementation of waste policy is a prerequisite
to avoid plastic litter entering the marine environment.
Another challenge is whether we can become a recycling
society. By the end of 2017, there will be national capacity
for incineration or co-incineration of up to 860,000
tonnes per annum. The perceived risk is that recycling
will suffer at the expense of energy recovery, however
there are regulatory controls in place at these facilities to
prevent acceptance of recyclable material. Waste operators
report high rates of contamination in bins presented for
collection, which limits their ability to recycle the material.
Significant improvement in national recycling rates could
be achieved through improved segregation behaviours at
point of generation of waste. With pay-by-weight coming
into force in July 2017, it will be a challenge to ensure
that associated enforcement plans for any contamination
of bins or illegal burning or fly-tipping of waste are
targeted, effective and proportional. A major public
awareness and educational programme should precede
the implementation of the charging measures.
Last but not least, we must ensure that prevention
of waste and preparation for reuse remain central to
Ireland’s waste management policy. There is much scope
for building on the successful NWPP and for Ireland to
continue to lead on prevention on the EU stage. There is
scope to build on existing social enterprises and increase
preparation for reuse initiatives for waste streams such as
furniture and WEEE.
Ireland has pioneered economic initiatives which have
changed consumer behaviour and prevented waste
(e.g. the plastic bag levy). Our NWPP is well established
and an example of best practice (EEA, 2015; EPA, 2016b).
Ireland should seek to be innovative and productive at
this time of opportunity while the concept of the circular
economy is taking root, being planned and implemented.
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