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

Ireland’s Environment – An Integrated Assessment 2020 n new data reporting obligations (food waste generated along the supply chain, oils and waste oils, placed on the market data 18 for lightweight plastic bags, home composting, reuse) n restrictions on placing certain single-use plastic products on the market (cotton bud sticks, cutlery, plates and straws) n labelling requirements for certain single-use plastic products n new extended producer responsibility initiatives and measures to reduce the consumption of certain single-use plastic products. The Commission is also considering the introduction of food waste reduction, overall waste reduction and product reuse targets. The EU Green Deal, 19 the EU’s roadmap to sustainability published in late 2019, includes a European Industrial Strategy, a second Circular Economy Action Plan and a Farm to Fork Strategy. New legislative targets coming into force from 2020 onwards will be a challenge in some cases, particularly for plastic packaging recycling and municipal recycling but also for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) collection rates and the limits for municipal waste disposal to landfill. Statutory targets will be a driver for change and give opportunities to introduce new policy instruments to incentivise repair, to incentivise kerbside bin segregation (particularly for commercial waste for which 70% of what is presented in the residual bin is potentially recyclable) and to introduce new methods of waste management such as deposit return schemes. Producer responsibility legislation has been an important driver of funding the collection and environmentally sound management of six waste streams (see ‘Producer Responsibility Initiatives’ section). The ambition of the PRI legislation to increase the durability, repairability and recyclability of products at the point of design and manufacture has been strengthened under the revised provision under the 2018 Waste Framework Directive and will have an increased focus under the EU Green Deal’s sustainable products initiative. Circular economy legislation is extending the requirements for producer responsibility schemes and the Single-use Plastics Directive (2019/904/ EC) will introduce new extended producer responsibilities for tobacco products, wet wipes, balloons and fishing gear containing plastic. 18 Measured at the point when a product is supplied or made available to a third party for payment or free of charge (including imported). This is a different approach from that for measuring waste generated. 19 See https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european- green-deal_en Waste Plans and Programmes Waste plans and programmes provide a framework, but drivers for implementation are needed. There are statutory requirements for waste prevention and waste management plans, each with governance structures and timeframes (Table 9.7). Table 9.7  Statutory waste planning in Ireland (Source: EPA) PLAN RESPONSIBILITY DURATION/ CYCLE National Waste Prevention Programme EPA Current programme 2014-2020 Regional waste management plans Local authorities Three Regions: Connacht-Ulster Region Eastern Midlands Region Southern Region Current plans 2015- 2021 National Hazardous Waste Management Plan EPA Current plan 2014-2020 Litter management plans Local authorities Every 3 years Selected infographic from the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy (https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/4221c-waste-action- plan-for-a-circular-economy/ ) HOUSEHOLD AND BUSINESS RECYCLING TARGETS FOR WASTE COLLECTORS WASTE RECOVERYLEVYTO ENCOURAGE RECYCLING STANDARDISED BIN COLOURS ACROSS THE STATE: GREEN FOR RECYCLING, BLACK FOR RESIDUALAND BROWN FOR ORGANIC WASTE WASTE OVERSIGHT BODYTO MANAGE CONSUMER RIGHTS EDUCATION AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGN TO IMPROVE WASTE SEGREGATION FOOD WASTE HALVE OUR FOOD WASTE BY2030 SUSTAINABLE FOOD WASTE MANAGEMENT OPTIONS FOR ALL HOMES AND BUSINESSES WASTE SEGREGATION INFRASTRUCTURE FOR APARTMENT DWELLERS PLASTIC, PACKAGING AND SINGLE USE PLASTIC (SUP) DEPOSITAND RETURN SCHEME FOR PLASTIC BOTTLES AND ALUMINIUM CANS COTTONBUDSTICKS, CUTLERY,PLATES,STIRRERS, CHOPSTICKS,STRAWS, POLYSTYRENECONTAINERS ANDOXO-DEGRADABLE PLASTICPRODUCTS SINGLE USE ITEMS BANNED FROM JULY2021: SIGNIFICANTLYREDUCE SUPS BEING PLACED ON THE MARKET BY2026 ALL PACKAGING REUSABLE OR RECYCLABLE BY2030 EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY (EPR) MANDATORYEPR FOR ALL PACKAGING PRODUCERS BEFORE 2024 EU DEADLINE NEW RULES FOR EPR SCHEMES TO INCENTIVISE GOOD PRACTICE IN WASTE RECYCLING AND DRIVE BETTER PRODUCT DESIGN PRODUCERS LIABLE FOR MODULATION FEES 238