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

Chapter 15: Environmental Performance, Policy and Implementation POLICY AREA CURRENT ASSESSMENT OUTLOOK NOTES Drinking water quality Private supplies have poorer compliance and substantially worse drinking water quality than public water supplies with challenges remaining. While compliance is over 99% in public supplies (EPA, 2020h), there is a concern about long-term boil water notices, detections of Cryptosporidium and elevated levels of disinfection by- products (THMs), lead and pesticides. As of July 2020, there are 52 public water supplies on the EPA’s Remedial Action List. Irish Water’s progress at implementing solutions for these supplies has been subject to delays and increasing uncertainty. Remaining issues need to be addressed through upgrade and replacement programmes. Overall water assessment Overall, current assessment is ‘poor’. Trends are mixed, with serious declines in pristine river sites. In terms of outlook, significant challenges remain to achieving full compliance and meeting policy objectives. WASTE AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY Waste and the circular economy Generation of municipal waste Generation of municipal waste increased in 2018 to 600 kg/person (up from 577 kg/person in 2017) (EPA, 2020e). Mixed trend over past 20 years, correlating closely with variations in disposable income, indicating a failure to decouple waste generation from economic activity. Reducing waste generation will require the implementation of new waste prevention and consumption reduction measures. Recycling of municipal waste Recycling rates have stagnated since 2010 and more recently shown a decline (EPA, 2020e). Waste characterisation studies show that a large share of recyclable waste (packaging, food) is put in the wrong bin and so is not being recycled. On track to meet 2020 target but the much more stringent targets for 2025 and 2030 will pose a challenge. Recycling of packaging waste Meeting current targets but recycling rates for some packaging streams are stagnating or declining and much more stringent targets will apply from 2025 and 2030 (EPA, 2020e). Significant challenge to meet future targets for individual packaging streams, in particular plastic. Waste characterisation studies show that two-thirds of plastic packaging waste presented in kerbside bins is not currently recyclable in Ireland. Landfilling of municipal waste Landfill rates have fallen steadily in Ireland, from 84% in 2001 to just 14% in 2018 (EPA, 2020e). However, meeting the 2030 limit of 10% municipal waste disposed to landfill will be challenging. Biodegradable waste diversion from landfill Currently compliant with 2020 target by a large margin and trend is improving with brown bin roll-out and more widespread mechanical pre-treatment of residual waste prior to landfilling (EPA, 2020e). 413