New Waste Policy Launched
In March 2012 Environet reported on the draft waste management policy from the Department of the Environment. It included plans to change how household waste is regulated.
One of the most controversial proposals in the draft was to initiate a process whereby household waste collection services for Local Authority areas would be put out to tender. This was to end the current system which allows competition between waste collection providers. It would also have allowed Local Authorities to have much more control over waste and where it was ultimately treated. This proposed tendering process was part of the Programme for Government.
In July 2012 the Government launched its finalised policy document ‘A Resource Opportunity’. The Government has decided to continue with the current system of allowing all waste contractors to compete for business in an open market.
Overall this Government U-turn is to be welcomed as competition in the market has driven down prices, encouraged innovation and created jobs. It has also resulted in all but a few Local Authorities exiting the household waste collection market.
But it may signal the death knell for the Poolbeg incinerator project, as Dublin City Council will now have much less control over the ultimate destination of household waste. The Council had told the Government that the project would not be viable unless it had control of household waste.
Other aspects of note in the new waste policy are;
- Brown bin rollout
- Reduction in the number of Waste Planning Regions from 10 to 3
- Placement of more responsibility on householders
- Establishment of a Waste Enforcement Team
To download the new policy click on the link below.
http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Environment/Waste/WasteManagement/FileDownLoad,30729,en.pdf