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

Chapter 9: Waste Figure 9.2  Trends in municipal waste management, 2001 to 2018 (Source: EPA) 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Tonnes Municipal waste managed (tonnes) % Recycled (total including composted) % Landfill % Composted % Energy Recovery % Recycled (excluding composted) 0 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000 3,000,000 3,500,000 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% In 2018, 38 per cent of municipal waste was recycled, 43 per cent used for energy recovery and 14 per cent disposed to landfill. These rates are quite a distance from the 2020 target to recycle 50 per cent of municipal waste (increasing to 65% in 2035) and the 2035 target to dispose of 10 per cent or less in landfill. The Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC) sets a limit on the quantity of the biodegradable element of municipal waste (food and garden waste, paper and cardboard and other biodegradable material) disposed of to landfill compared with the baseline year 1995. Ireland has been meeting its targets under the Landfill Directive and is on track to meet its 2020 target. Increases in the landfill levy have been successful in disincentivising disposal of waste (Figure 9.3) as well as the municipal waste incineration (energy recovery) capacity coming into operation since 2012. The increased roll-out of household and commercial organic kerbside bins to households under the biowaste regulations has diverted increasing amounts of organic waste to recycling. There is scope for further diversion, however, as described in the ‘Food Waste’ section. 227