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Public Consultations

A New National Waste Policy
 Reorganising Household Waste Collection
Possible Packaging Levy
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 

Submission received 2012
Submissions Received 2011
More Submissions Received 2011
Submissions Received 2010

 

Consultation - Development of End of Waste Criteria for Biodegradable Waste subject to Biological Treatment

The Department is seeking submissions/comments on the attached working document 'Technical report for End-of-waste criteria on Biodegradable waste subject to biological treatment'. For additional information and details on the areas under consideration please refer to the attached document 'Consultation - Development of EoW Criteria for Biodegradable Waste'

Submissions and comments on this draft document are invited from Industry and other interested parties and should be forwarded in writing or by email, to the address indicated below by Tuesday the 20th of December 2011. Please ensure that all correspondence is clearly marked with ‘End of Waste Criteria for Biodegradable Waste Consultation’

Email:
eoghan.coughlan@environ.ie

Post:
Waste Policy Section,
End of Waste Criteria for Biodegradable Waste Consultation,
Department of the Environment, Community & Local Government,       
Room 2.01,
Custom House,
Dublin 1.

Tel: +353 (0) 1 888 2474

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

Technical Report for EoW Criteria on Biodegradable Waste subject to Biological Treatment

Consultation - Development of EoW Criteria for Biodegradable Waste


A New National Waste Policy - Discussion Document


The Programme for Government commits to putting in place a national waste policy that will adhere to the EU waste hierarchy and deliver a coherent approach to waste management, minimising the waste going to landfill and maximising resource recovery.

The discussion document (available in English and Irish) has been prepared against that background. It is designed to promote discussion and debate and to provide an opportunity for all interested parties to input into the development of a policy framework that will shape our approach to waste management for the next decade and beyond. 

Launching the discussion document, Minister Hogan emphasised the importance of ensuring that the new policy is informed by a broad range of interests. “In addition to receiving the essential perspectives of analysts of waste policy and the waste industry itself, I am anxious also to receive the views of the public and those businesses and other organisations which are customers of waste services. The discussion document is not prescriptive - instead it sets out a range of possible policy initiatives and issues for wider consideration and presents a real opportunity for interested parties to contribute to shaping a new national waste policy”, commented the Minister.

Comments and submissions can be sent to the Department by email (or by post) to the following contacts by Friday 30 September 2011. It is intended that the finalised policy will be completed by end-2011.

Email: wasteconsultation@environ.ie

Post: Waste Policy Consultation Room 2.01,
Waste Policy Section,
Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government,
Custom House,
Dublin 1.

Waste Policy Discussion Document 2011 (pdf, 227kb)

(An irish version of this document is available on the irish version of this site).

 Responses Received

Reorganising Household Waste Collection


Update: A large number of responses to the public consultation on household waste collection were received. On behalf of Minister Hogan, the Department thanks all consultees.

Responses Received

Mr Phil Hogan T.D., Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, has published a discussion document to help inform public consultation on the Government’s commitment to reorganise household waste collection.

The Programme for Government states that the Government will introduce competitive tendering for local household waste collection services. It is envisaged that service providers will bid to provide waste collection services in a given area, for a given period of time and to a guaranteed level of service.

Altering the Structure of Household Waste Collection Markets - Discussion Document (pdf, 279kb)

Responses to the discussion document are invited, which should be provided to the undersigned not later than Friday 2 September 2011, which is the close of the consultation period. All responses will  be published online. Responses may be sent by post or email.

By post:

Eoin Corrigan
Custom House
Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Dublin 1

By email: eoin_corrigan@environ.ie


 

Possible Packaging Levy

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government now wishes to begin a process of consultation with industry, other stakeholders and the public on a possible levy on packaging. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to drive a waste reduction programme as part of the overall policy in the area of a sustainable waste. One of the possible elements of this waste reduction strategy is a levy on packaging.

The main issues which it is intended to examine in this consultation are as follows:

  • The overall views by stakeholders on a packaging levy;
  • How a packaging levy might be operated;
  • International experiences of similar levies; and
  • How a possible packaging levy might be structured in order to contribute to a reduction in packaging waste.

We would now invite comments specifically addressing these topics; although respondents are also free to comment on any other aspects of this issue. Comments should be submitted by email or by post to the address below by 5pm Friday 5th August 2011.

Packaging Levy Consultation,
Environmental Policy and Awareness,
Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government,
Newtown Road,
Wexford.

Telephone: +353 (0)53 911 7438/7343/7374
Email:  packaginglevy@environ.ie

Please note that all submissions and comments submitted to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government for this purpose may be subject to release under the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 to 2003, the Access to Information on the Environment Regulations (2007) and may be placed on the Department’s website.



New Draft Statement of Waste Policy (closed)


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 (closed)


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.   (closed)

 

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.