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Public Consultations

Draft Statement of Waste Policy
Draft Regulations Requiring the Provision of Food Waste Collections
Re-Opening of  Consultation on Proposed Section 60 Policy Direction
Invitation for Submissions 

 

New Draft Statement of Waste Policy


The Programme for Government included a commitment to undertake an international review of waste management policy. An important milestone was reached late in 2009 with the delivery and publication of the report of the consultants engaged to carry out a study to underpin the review. 

The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has prepared a new draft Statement of Waste Policy arising from the recommendations of the report.  The statement is designed to set a policy context which will ensure that waste management services are delivered by the public and private sectors in an environmentally progressive and cost efficient manner.

In advance of finalising the Statement of Waste Policy by Government, comments are invited from relevant stakeholders and any other interested parties. 

An irish version of the draft statement on waste policy is available on the irish version of our website.



Draft Regulations Requiring the Provision of Food Waste Collections


As part of the policy development process, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is prioritising the management of biodegradable waste.  Therefore, draft Regulations, which would have the effect of requiring authorised waste collectors to provide a food waste collection to households on a phased basis, are being published for public consultation.  Comments are invited from all interested parties. 

Draft Waste Management (Household Food Waste Collection) Regulations (doc, 89kb)

 

Reopening of Public Consultation on Proposed Section 60 Policy Direction on a proposed cap to incineration capacity as a proportion of municipal waste arisings (MSW) and other matters.

 

In summer 2009, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government conducted a public consultation on an Environmental Report, prepared by environmental consultants according to Strategic Environmental Assessment requirements, to inform the policy making process for waste management in respect of a proposed Section 60 policy direction to achieve the following objectives:

  1. to ensure that incineration capacity does not reach a level such that waste is drawn to incineration which could have been dealt with by prevention, reuse, recycling, composting/anaerobic digestion of source segregated biowaste, MBT or other methods higher up the waste hierarchy;
  2. to ensure that the waste hierarchy is complied with in that local authorities, as waste management authorities, do not direct holders of waste to deliver it to lower elements in the waste hierarchy, thereby preventing them acting in support of waste management options at the bottom of the hierarchy;
  3. to ensure that the waste hierarchy is complied with in that local authorities, as waste management authorities, could direct holders of waste to deliver it to higher elements in the waste hierarchy, thereby encouraging them to act in support of waste management options at the top of the hierarchy;
  4.  to minimise the air pollution arising from trucks accessing waste facilities in built-up areas;
  5. to ensure appropriate monitoring of air pollution in the vicinity of major waste facilities;
  6. to reduce air soil and water pollution from incineration and comply with the Stockholm Convention.

Section 60 Policy Direction Capping Incineration of Municipal Waste and Other Matters - Consultation Document (doc, 20,579kb)




Invitation for Submissions


In the context of the publication of the draft Statement of Waste Policy, the publication of the report of the International Review of Waste Policy and in advance of finalising the Strategic Environmental Assessment, relevant stakeholders and any other interested parties are invited to submit submissions or comments on the report’s recommendations or in the case of previous submissions, to update or submit additional material if required.

Copies of documents referred to can be obtained from –

Ms. Evelyn Downes,
Waste Policy Section,
Department of the Environment,
Heritage and Local Government,
Custom House,
Dublin 1.

Tel. (01) 888 2466
Fax. (01) 888 2994
Email: wasteconsultation@environ.ie


Submissions and comments on the Statement of Waste Policy, the draft Regulations and proposed Section 60 Policy Direction should be forwarded to the address indicated above.

All submissions should clearly identify the process to which they relate. In the case of submissions which address more than one process, these should be clearly delineated within the submission.

Please note that all submissions and comments submitted to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for this purpose are subject to release under the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003.

The closing date for receipt of submissions and comments is close of business on 1 October 2010.