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

Ireland’s Environment – An Integrated Assessment 2020 Topic Box 9.3 COVID-19’s implications for waste generation and management Waste management services were designated an essential service throughout the COVID-19 crisis and bin collections and most waste treatment facilities continued to operate. Surveys carried out by the regional waste management planning offices found that household waste increased by 21 per cent on average and commercial waste generation volumes went down by 50 per cent during the initial phase of restrictions. This trend is understandable given that all but essential services were closed for a time and people were working from home where possible. C&D waste decreased by 70 per cent, as this sector also ceased operating for a time. Skip hire and civic amenity facility activities increased because of clear- out and do-it-yourself activities (EPA, 2020c). The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to affect waste policy in the short term and national waste statistics in the longer term. Population Population growth is likely to drive further waste generation. Ireland’s population is forecast to be up to 6.7 million by 2051 (CSO, 2019). Based on 2018 waste generation figures, a population of 6.7 million would generate 3.9 million tonnes of municipal waste (2.9 million tonnes in 2018) and a potential 19.3 million tonnes of overall waste (14 million tonnes currently). 21 Figure 9.9  Municipal waste characterisation insights from household (left) and commercial (right) residual waste bins (Source: EPA; for more information, see EPA, 2018b) 19% Plastics 16% Organic waste (food and garden) 15% Paper, card and beverage containers 10% Textiles 9% Metals, glass and wood 2% Hazardous waste 11% Fines 10% Nappies 17% Plastics 37% Organic waste (food and garden) 28% Paper, card and beverage containers 6% Textiles 5% Metals, glass and wood 1% Hazardous waste 3% Coffee Cups 2% Compostables 21 Based on latest data and not allowing for economic growth or contraction. Consumer Behaviours Consumer behaviours affect waste generation and management. How consumers behave affects the quantity and types of waste generated and how these wastes are managed. Examining the waste collected provides important insights into the amounts and types of waste presented, 22 whether the waste was deposited in the correct bin and the extent of contamination of the recyclables. The latest national municipal waste characterisation study (EPA, 2018b) found that 11 per cent of material in household bins should not have been there at all (WEEE, batteries, textiles, paint) and that the recycling bin had higher levels of contamination and non-target materials than 10 years previously. Half of household organic waste is being deposited in residual or recycling bins, rather than being deposited in organic bins. Even more starkly, 70 per cent of waste presented in the commercial residual bin was potentially recyclable. Two-thirds of the plastic waste deposited was soft plastics (films, bags and wrappers), which are not currently accepted in the kerbside recyclables bin. Since the previous study in 2008, there was a change in the materials placed on the market and consumer behaviour; this is reflected in the decrease in the amount of newspaper in recycling bins and an increase in the amount of single-use items (plastics, coffee cups, tissue paper). Regulators and policymakers use this evidence to target enforcement and awareness and education campaigns on correctly segregating and presenting waste (Figure 9.9). 22 Typically, three kerbside bins: residual waste, dry recyclables (co-mingled rigid plastics, paper and cardboard, metals) and organic waste (food waste, sometimes green waste). Some collection operators provide a separate bin for glass. For commercial premises, cardboard waste is often a separate collection. 240