National Waste Management Strategy Pg 14
National Waste Management
Strategy
A Submission to Government
January 2002
1. Introduction
The Institution of Engineers of Ireland (IEI) with almost 20,000 members, is Ireland’s largest professional body. Our members are drawn from all disciplines of engineering and play a key role in all of the country’s industries, in the public service and semi-state companies, and in the design and development of the nation’s infrastructure. IEI is therefore particularly well qualified to advise Government on what steps need to be taken in further progressing national waste management strategy.
The engineering profession is particularly conscious of the key role engineers play in our natural environment and in the management of resources. Section 2.0 “Environmental and Social Obligations” of the Institution’s Code of Ethics for members clearly sets out the obligations of engineers in this area (see Appendix 1).
The issue of waste minimisation and management is recognised by society at large – the individual citizen, politicians from all parties, industry, commercial enterprises and economists as being one of the key challenges facing Ireland at present and over the coming decade. How effectively and quickly we deal with this challenge will dictate the quality of life of our citizens, the attractiveness of Ireland as both a tourist destination and as a location for inward investment, the perception of Ireland internationally as a “green island” and as a source of quality food, and indeed, the general health of our population.
Provision of waste infrastructure is not just necessary for environmental protection but is as essential for development as the provision of roads, sanitary services, electricity supply and other necessary infrastructure.
2. The Current Situation:
IEI recognises that some progress has been made in starting to tackle the waste management issue in Ireland, an area neglected by all administrations for many decades: -
§ The Government “Changing Our Ways” policy document was published.
§ The Environmental Protection Agency has been established.
§ Repak has been established.
§ Waste Management Plans have been adopted by all Local Authorities.
§ A licensing system is in place, some transfer stations and civic amenity sites have been set up and a limited number of recycling facilities established.
§ Training programmes in Waste Management have been set up.
§ A National Waste Database has been developed and is being updated on an ongoing basis.
However the challenge facing the country in reaching acceptable waste management standards is enormous. It is not an overstatement to say that the country is currently facing a waste management crisis. Essentially we are dealing with a growing quantity of waste and an ageing waste management infrastructure. Some of the issues are: -
§ The general public and indeed many in the industrial, commercial and construction sectors do not appreciate the nature and scale of the crisis and what must be done to address it.
§ Our landfill capacity is running out at an alarming rate. Shortly there will be no landfill capacity available in 19 local authority areas and there are currently few alternative options for disposal of waste.
§ There are hundreds if not thousands of illegal dumps across the country with no clear idea of where they are, what is in them or how to handle them when they are discovered.
§ We have a “dump it” culture as a nation with little appreciation for the need for waste prevention and minimisation and for integrated management of what waste is produced.
§ Every local and regional authority is required to solve its own problems with little co-ordination on a national level where this would be of benefit.
§ We have insufficient facilities for the management, treatment and disposal of hazardous waste.
In making this submission to Government, IEI has concentrated on practical strategies which it believes are necessary and which should be put in place in the short term, which will further advance the management of waste in the country.
3. Proposed Strategy:
IEI believes the main challenge in waste management is full implementation of Regional and Local Authority Plans which have been adopted – nothing should divert attention from this. Having said that, IEI is also proposing a number of other initiatives in this Strategy which it believes essential in ensuring best practice waste management in Ireland. This includes the establishment of a National Waste Management Agency, which will require legislation and which would ultimately assume responsibility for implementation of a range of the strategies proposed. Pending establishment of the Agency, IEI strongly recommends that implementation of proposed strategies be progressed by current bodies under the aegis of the Department of the Environment & Local Government. Strategies proposed by IEI are as follows: -
(a) General Strategy
§ A focused and adequately resourced approach by Government, Regional and Local Authorities and relevant State Agencies, to ensure that improved waste management is a national priority.
§ Implementation of a crash programme for a range of integrated waste management infrastructure in each region inclusive of bring facilities, transfer facilities, material recycling facilities, organic and food waste processing facilities, construction and demolition waste handling facilities, sludge treatment facilities, landfills for residual wastes and thermal treatment facilities.
§ Full implementation as quickly as possible of Regional and Local Authority Plans.
§ The establishment of a National Waste Prevention Programme.
§ The designation of waste activities as industrial activities and the identification of strategic development zones for waste processing and treatment facilities.
§ The establishment of short term annual targets and longer term objectives for the management of wastes in each region.
§ The development of producer responsibility sectoral initiatives for selected waste streams such as end of life vehicles, and waste electrical and electronic equipment.
§ Adoption by Government of the May 2001 Report and Recommendations of the Forum for the Construction Industry Task Force B4 on “Recycling of Construction and Demolition Waste”. Implementation of the recommendations in this report will result in significant reduction in the amount of construction and demolition waste going into landfills.
§ Identify sites at which waste disposal or recovery activities have been carried out, access the risk of environmental pollution and implement on a priority basis measures for the remediation of the sites.
§ The largest waste production sector in the Country is agriculture. IEI recommends that existing regulatory, monitoring and control measures for waste production in the agriculture sector be reviewed and strengthened as a matter of urgency.
(b) Quick Wins and Culture Change:
IEI believes there is need to get minimisation, segregation and recycling visibly and forcibly underway to help bring about a culture change in behaviour. In particular adequate funding should be made available immediately to achieve “quick wins” and establish a culture of good waste management practice. Examples include: -
§ Introduction of separate, segregated collection of household and commercial waste to reduce the quantities going to landfill.
§ Development of facilities for the processing of the separately collected organic waste.
§ The introduction of weight based charges.
§ The speedy introduction of the proposed levy or tax on wastes disposed at landfills.
§ The complete banning of plastic bags in retail outlets.
§ The banning of certain wastes (e.g. garden waste, newsprint, packaging, glass, aluminium cans, timber and construction and demolition waste) from landfills.
§ Development of storage facilities for paper, PET and newsprint as a short term market balancing mechanism
(c) The Polluter Should Pay:
Changes in the production and management of waste will become one of the major indicators of movement towards more sustainable economic practises with the challenge being a transformation from an economy based on resource depletion and waste production to one based on resource conservation / management and waste minimisation.
Human nature and commercial realities are such that the most effective mechanism for bringing about change in current waste management practices are financial mechanisms. However to be accepted and therefore effective, these must be seen to be equitable and not biased against any particular sector or location. Equally the charges made or penalties imposed must be of a sufficient level to cause a change in waste management behaviour. Unfortunately in Ireland, at both central and local government level there has been unwillingness by politicians to approve measures which might be seen as “politically unpopular”. This is particularly so at local level. IEI recommends: -
§ The introduction of a uniform system of waste disposal charges across the country in particular for domestic and commercial wastes. This should happen in tandem with the provision of facilities /mechanisms for recycling, recovery and reuse of waste. These facilities should be operated in a user-friendly manner to ensure maximum use e.g. location, opening hours etc.
§ Implementation of a uniform scheme across the country to incentivise recycling and the use of recycled material.
§ Review of the penalties for breaking laws by making use of indictment and not just summary conviction, to ensure they are large enough to deter potential offenders. This must be accompanied by proper collection and presentation of evidence, rigorous monitoring, prosecution and publicising of offenders.
(d) The Need for Training & Education:
It is widely accepted that Ireland faces a significant challenge in meeting EU standards and in bringing our waste management practices up to those of our international competitors. To effect a fundamental change in mindset and waste management practice will require a major investment in education and training. IEI recommends: -
§ Implementation of a major and sustained public awareness campaign at both national and local levels. This should include:-
- Demonstration of how we are all responsible for waste production, not just what we put in our bins but even for toxic and industrial waste which has been generated as a direct result of our consumer society
- Clearly spelling out the fact that a zero waste policy is not possible and that best environment practice as implemented internationally is an integrated approach with waste prevention/minimisation, reuse, recycling, landfill and heat treatment/incineration. The approach adopted must reflect limitations imposed by our island status and associated lack of some economy of scale.
- Publicising examples of well managed facilities in other countries, including landfill and heat treatment.
- Publicising examples of where environment laws have been broken, the impact and penalties imposed.
- Target different sectors e.g. general public/domestic, farming, manufacturing industry, construction industry etc.
- Further development and full implementation of a comprehensive range of training/education programmes tailored for specific sectors to educate industry, farming and construction personnel in best waste management practice. These should be designed and delivered by a State Training Body.
(e) Legislative Requirements:
As well as bringing forward legislation to establish the proposed National Waste Management Agency, IEI believes a number of other legislative issues need to be addressed. Strategies recommended include: -
§ A nation-wide and structured approach to implementation of current legislation (The Waste Management, Water Pollution and Litter Acts) and the rigorous prosecution of those who break the law. There is a particular need to: -
- Trace, close down and clean up the large number of illegal landfills, dumps and other waste facilities, which are scattered across the country. This problem amounts to nothing less then a scandal and must receive immediate attention. The scale of the problem is evidenced by the daily revelations of more and more illegal landfills.
- Prosecute all incidents of fly tipping.
- Use the full powers of indictment for offences with the co-operation of the DPP’s office rather than rely on District Court summary convictions alone.
§ Reduce planning delays by implementation of pre-designated “Waste Management Centres” as highlighted in Part IX of the Planning and Development Act 2000.
§ Introduction of Contaminated Land Legislation to clarify issues in relation to legal responsibility for contaminated land.
3. Implementation Strategy:
Investment in waste management infrastructure has been insignificant over the last thirty years. In comparison to other public infrastructure such as roads, water and sewage the area has until recent years been completely neglected. Equally the negative impact of outdated and inappropriate waste management practices on the economy and on the quality of life is unacceptable. In striving to achieve dramatically improved standards as well as value for the significant cost to the exchequer, to industry and business and to individuals, there is a need to set targets and monitor and report progress against these targets. IEI recommends: -
§ Detailed evaluation and urgent commitment of the resources (financial and human) required to deliver the waste management infrastructure at national level.
§ The gathering and public dissemination of appropriate statistics and trends in relation to waste management practice in Ireland as against international practice. (This is currently being done but needs to be communicated to a wider audience).
§ The setting and publishing of both national and regional targets in relation to waste management. These should include: -
- Delivery of specific projects.
- Waste management performance targets e.g. reduction in % waste delivered to landfill, % re-used or recycled, etc.
§ The monitoring and publishing of performance against these targets.
The scale of the waste management problem facing the country and thus the required finance to address the issue is significant. While Public Private Partnerships will provide some elements of finance, this approach is far from the full solution. IEI believes that ultimate responsibility for ensuring that appropriate waste management strategies are in place and that plans are implemented rests with Government. Financing strategies which should be considered include: -
§ Commitment of additional resources to Local Authorities and to the EPA to facilitate speedy implementation of current plans and implementation of legislation.
§ Seed funding by the State to encourage appropriate Projects. This could perhaps come from the proposed Environment Fund.
§ Enhanced tax incentives for essential waste management infrastructure projects.
§ Significant increase in funding to EPA and Local Authorities to facilitate public education, monitoring and policing and adequate funding to the proposed National Waste Management Agency.