No Responsibility for Waste = Privitisation = Incineration

national | environment | news report Thursday October 16, 2003 11:10 by Niall ÓB - Greens niallob at esatclear dot ie

It is clear from comments made by Martin Cullen yesterday at the launch of his latest campaign to tackle waste that privitisation and incineration are firmly on the Governments agenda. However the amount of waste we produce is clearly at an unacceptably high level. If the people of Ireland do not take more responsibility for our waste by reducing, reusing and recycling we will all lose out in the longer term.

The Environmental Protection Agency said household and commercial waste grew by over 30pc in the past three years, while landfill space is dwindling.

Landfills in six of the 10 regions nationwide have less than three years' capacity left.
Every person in Ireland produces 700kg of waste each year - over three times the Dutch rate.

The minister for the Environment claimed burning rubbish and illegal dumping were far more damaging than incinerators.

The minister said while people had genuine worries about landfills and incinerators, there had been considerable "misinformation" around the debate.

He claimed burning rubbish and illegal dumping were far more damaging than incinerators.

Ireland only recycles 13pc of waste at present. While in Galway City over 50% is now recycled and the amount of waste produced per capita has also dramatically fallen.