EPA - Ireland's Environment, An Integrated Assessment - 2020

Ireland’s Environment – An Integrated Assessment 2020 Topic Box 9.1  A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy . Ireland’s National Waste Policy 2020-2015 In September 2020, the Department of Environment launched new national waste policy, A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy (DCCAE, 2020a). This Waste Action Plan recognises that there are opportunities to introduce circular economy measures within our national recovery post COVID-19. Circular economy measures present opportunities for job creation in design, reuse, repair, re-manufacturing and recycling which have the potential to reduce our carbon footprint and meet our climate targets. Preparedby theDepartmentof theTaoiseach gov.ie AWaste Action Plan for a Circular Economy Ireland’s National Waste Policy 2020-2025 Preparedby theDepartmentof Communications,ClimateAction andEnvironment gov.ie While waste prevention has been a focus of waste policy since the 1990s, there is a much stronger focus in this policy document. A key objective is to shift attention from waste treatment (how products and materials are treated at end of life) to product design for circular economy (use of secondary versus raw materials, designing out hazardous materials, products that are designed for reuse, for easy repair and which are ultimately recyclable at end of life), reducing our consumption of single use products and extended producer responsibility for products placed on the market. All these actions are circular economy activities (Figure 9.1) and linked to the European Commission’s ambitions for circular economy under the European Green Deal. The Plan gives effect to commitments in the Programme for Government, including the introduction of a deposit and return scheme for plastic bottles and measures to support the development of indigenous treatment capacity, supporting national economic recovery. The Action Plan sets out challenges and measures to achieve optimum results for priority areas including food waste, single use plastic, waste enforcement, waste data and waste flows and citizen engagement. A Waste Management (Circular Economy) Bill will be introduced to provide the legislative underpinning of the policy measures identified and the Department of Environment will chair a cross-sectoral Waste Advisory Group to support the policy’s implementation. 2. Current Situation National Waste Generation Ireland generated 14 million tonnes of waste in 2018. It is estimated that almost 14 million tonnes of waste were generated in Ireland in 2018 across all economic sectors and households, corresponding to 2.9 tonnes per person (EPA, 2020a). Municipal Waste The variety and composition of municipal waste makes it challenging to manage and treat. Municipal waste is household waste and commercial waste that is similar in nature to household waste. It is challenging to manage and treat because of its varied nature and composition. 2 Over 2.9 million tonnes were generated in 2018, 53 per cent from households and 47 per cent from commercial sources. One million tonnes, over one-third of municipal waste, was exported for treatment: 729,000 tonnes for recycling and 287,000 tonnes for energy recovery. Since 2012, municipal waste generation has increased by 15 per cent. The quantity disposed of to landfill has decreased, but the shift has been towards energy recovery rather than recycling, as recycling rates initially plateaued from 2010 to 2017 and then decreased in 2018 (Figure 9.2). Under the waste hierarchy, prevention, reuse, reduction and recycling are all preferred over energy recovery. 2 Glass, metal, paper and card, plastic, textiles, wood and composite materials. Packaging and non-packaging wastes, waste electrical and electronic equipment, food and garden waste, batteries, medicines and pesticides. 226