Ireland's State of the Environment Report 2024

417 Chapter 15: Circular Economy and Waste Figure 15.11  Overall performance of local authorities on national waste enforcement priorities, 2022 ˜ Excellent ˜ Strong ˜ Moderate ˜ Limited ˜ Not Applicable 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 45 75 48 39 39 Household & Commercial Waste C & D Waste PRIs and Local Priorities Illegal Waste ELVs Performance (%) Source: EPA, 2023c Section 63(2) of the EPA Act, as amended (No. 6 of 2023), provides for the EPA to carry out an assessment of the performance by a local authority of a statutory function of that authority in relation to environmental protection. This includes waste enforcement. The EPA carries out annual assessments of each local authority using the Local Authority Performance Framework to deliver the annual Focus on Local Authority Environmental Enforcement Performance Report . In relation to waste enforcement, the 2022 report found evidence of effective enforcement and collaboration by local authorities on combating illegal waste activities (Figure 15.11) while also identifying that further improvements could be made in relation to enforcement in the construction and municipal waste sectors (EPA, 2023c). The WERLAs publish an annual report that details how the national waste enforcement priorities are being addressed at a local authority level. Licensed activities. In the EPA, waste enforcement is undertaken by the Office of Environmental Enforcement. In 2023, the EPA identified five priority areas for waste enforcement at licensed activities. It also undertook 369 inspections in the waste sector to assess: 1. controls in place to address fire risk at waste transfer facilities 2. aftercare at closed, unlined landfills and impact on groundwater and surface water bodies 3. nuisance issues at waste processing facilities 4. process management at anaerobic digestion plants 5. compliance as part of multi-agency enforcement activities. The inspections found the following: 1. Fire remains a significant risk at waste transfer facilities (16 fires occurred during 2022–2023). Fire has the potential to remove the waste processing capacity needed to effectively service the market from the sector. The causes of these fires vary and include hot ashes, lithium batteries and pressurised cylinders/ aerosols being inappropriately placed into the general waste stream, poor operational practices during plant maintenance (welding), poor housekeeping resulting in mobile plant overheating and anti-social behaviour. 2. Nine closed, unlined landfills operated by local authorities were identified as placing significant pressures on groundwater bodies. Poor aftercare may result in those water bodies failing to meet the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) objectives of having, at minimum, good status. A leachate extraction system is critical infrastructure required to prevent pollution. Between 2021 and 2023, the EPA prosecuted four local authorities for failing to adequately manage leachate arising from closed landfills.