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Waste Management Plans

Background
 Local/Regional Waste Management Plans
EPA National Hazardous Waste Management Plan

Background

Under Part II of the 1996 Waste Management Act (as amended):

  • local authorities are required to make waste management plans in respect of their functional areas, and
  • the EPA is required to make a national hazardous waste management plan.

 The statutory objective of these plans is to -

  • prevent or minimise the production and harmful nature of waste,
  • encourage and support the recovery of waste,
  • ensure that such waste as cannot be prevented or recovered is safely disposed of, and
  • address the need to give effect to the polluter pays principle, in relation to waste disposal.

Local/Regional Waste Management Plans

All local authorities have now reviewed their Regional Waste Management Plans. It is evident from the plans that local authorities have been guided by the various policy statements on waste.In particular, these plans make provision for the development of an integrated waste management infrastructure, including

  • "kerbside" collection of recyclable materials in urban areas;
  • "bring" facilities for recyclable materials in rural areas;
  • civic amenity sites and waste transfer stations;
  • biological treatment of "green" and organic household waste;
  • materials recovery facilities;
  • recycling capacity for construction and demolition waste; thermal treatment facilities; and
  • residual landfill requirements.

The country is divided into 10 regions for waste management purposes and the plans on the relevant local authorities website. The regions are as follows:

Connaught
Cork
Dublin 
Midlands
Mid-West
North-East
South-East
Donegal
Kildare
Wicklow

 

EPA National Hazardous Waste Management Plan

Under the Waste Management Act 1996, as amended, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to make a national hazardous waste management plan which, among other things, deals with the prevention of hazardous waste and the setting of targets towards this goal, identifying facilities currently available for the collection, recovery or disposal of hazardous wastes, and make recommendations regarding infrastructure, waste facilities and other physical resources considered to be necessary for the management of these wastes.

A copy of the Plan is available from the EPA's website on:

http://www.epa.ie/NewsCentre/ReportsPublications/HazardousWaste/

Review of the National Hazardous Waste Management Plan

The National Hazardous Waste Management Plan must be reviewed every five years. The Environmental Protection Agency is now reviewing the Plan and the first two elements of the review process, a) the preparation of a Strategy Study and b) the preparation of a Strategic Environmental Assessment consultation, are well progressed.  Further information on the review can be accessed on the EPA’s website on the following link:

http://www.epa.ie/OurEnvironment/Waste/HazardousWasteManagement/