Every local authority is obliged to have a waste management plan and in this plan it must state how it intends to handle waste generated by its area. Although the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has overall responsibility for recycling and waste management in Ireland, this responsibility has been devolved to the local authorities.
This document deals with waste management and industrial recycling. You can learn also more about domestic recycling.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acts as the watchdog for the waste management industry. It is responsible for ensuring that local authorities carry out their environmental protection functions. If the EPA thinks a local authority is failing to carry out these functions properly, it can request a report from the local authority and give advice, make recommendations and offer whatever help it considers necessary on the basis of that report. If the local authority fails to act on these recommendations, the EPA can direct it to resolve the situation and, as a last resort, can deal with the situation as it sees fit and recover the costs from the local authority in question.
While there are no specific obligations on local authorities in terms of what recycling services they should provide, it is generally understood that they must provide bring banks, civic amenity centres, composting services or kerbside collection if they are to have any hope of meeting these targets set out in the Department's policy document.
Local authorities are obliged to consult with the public in relation to waste management planning in their areas. Under the Waste Management Act, 1996, there must be a formal public consultation before the drafting of a waste management plan. All applications for waste licences are advertised and are available to the public and any member of the public can lodge an objection to the granting of a licence with the EPA.
According to the 1996 Waste Management Act, both local authorities and the EPA have to keep Registers detailing a wide range of their activities in the waste management area. These registers are available to be inspected by the public free of charge.
Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations came into operation in 1997 to promote the recovery of packaging waste. The Regulations oblige all those who supply packaging to the Irish market and who have a turnover of more than 1 million euro to either take back their packaging or take part in a packaging waste recovery scheme operated by an approved body. These regulations were amended in 2003 to change the classification of a major operator and ensure that specified packaging waste is not sent to landfill. Repak has a useful list of FAQs on the changes to the 1997 regulations.
REPAK was established on a voluntary basis and offers annual membership to all companies involved in the supply chain. It ensures the recovery and recycling of packaging waste from the household, commercial and industrial sectors on behalf of its members. Smaller businesses are responsible for the recovery and recycling of their own waste.
The Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations also came into operation in Ireland 1997 to promote the collection and recovery of farm plastics used for sheeting, bale wrap and bale bags for silage. Importers and manufacturers of farm plastics are now obliged to arrange for their collection and recovery. Companies can choose to carry this out on an individual basis or to join a body approved to pursue agreed waste recovery objectives. The Irish Farm Films Producers Group is presently the only approved body.
Other sectors like the construction industry, electrical and electronic equipment manufacturers and vehicle manufacturers are being targeted by the EU and the Government to review the common practices of their sectors and to adopt more environmentally aware methods. For more information, you can check with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.
If you want to find out about the services available to your company or to get advice about recycling or waste management services, you should contact your local authority.
For details of private operators, you should apply to the operator directly.
For details of recycling services in your area, apply to your local authority or the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.
If you want to make a complaint about the granting of a waste licence, you should phone the Environmental Services section of your local authority for further details. The local authority will ask you to submit your complaint in writing (there is no form available) and your local authority will decide how it will proceed.
Custom House
Dublin 1
Ireland
Tel:(01) 888 2000
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Fax:(01) 888 2888
Homepage: http://www.environ.ie
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Wexford
Wexford
Ireland
Tel:053 916 0600
Locall:1890 335 599
Fax:053 916 0699
Homepage: http://www.epa.ie
Email: info@epa.ie
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Dublin 2
Ireland
Tel:+353 (0)1 8882001
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Fax:+353 (0)1 8883946
Homepage: http://www.enfo.ie
Email: info@enfo.ie