International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

No adjustment was made to the projected growth rate to allow for the impact of waste
prevention activities. The report stated that:
99
“Figures record that biodegradable municipal waste generation has increased
by about 50% in that 9-year period [1995-2004], with 1.935 million tonnes
generated in 2004.” 133
The Final NBWS discusses, in Section 3.2, waste growth rates. Although the approach
taken seems far from transparent, growth rates appear to have been based on work
undertaken in 2004 (apparently, at the same time as the Draft Strategy was being
developed). 134 In relation to historical growth rates the Final NBS states that:
It adds that:
“There have been anecdotal reports of appreciable reductions in the amount
of waste presented since the introduction of the ‘Pay-by-Use’ (PBU) system on
1 st January 2005.”
“Significant results are anticipated from the implementation of the National
Waste Prevention Programme – combined with the awareness/ education
campaigns, the application of Pay-By-Use systems of waste charges and other
ancillary waste prevention activities - over the duration of the Strategy.”
Reductions in biodegradable waste were forecast as follows (being essentially a
reduction in the trend in arisings):
� 2005 to 2007 3% reduction factor each year
� 2008 to 2010 4% reduction factor each year
� 2011 to 2013 5% reduction factor each year
� 2014 to 2016 6% reduction factor each year
As regards future waste arisings, the EPA-led National Waste Prevention Programme
was forecast, in the Final NBWS, to be the prime mechanism for achieving reductions
in biodegradable waste, along with ‘related initiatives’. 135 As discussed elsewhere,
there appears to have been little or no attempt to model exactly which measures
would contribute what level of reduction, and hence, contribution to the reduction
targets set. 136
Targets were set for home composting, the aim being to ensure this takes place at
20% of urban households and 55% of rural households – equivalent to some 35% of
all households - by 2010. It was anticipated that potential yield from this would be
between 10% to 12% of available organic waste in the years 2010 and 2016.
133 DOEHLG (2004) Draft National Biodegradable Waste Strategy. 2004
134 DOEHLG (2004) National Overview of Waste Management Plans, April 2004.
135 DoEHLG (2006) National Biodegradable Waste Strategy, 2006.
136 Eunomia with Tobin (2007) Waste Policy, Planning and Regulation in Ireland, Report for Greenstar.
International Review of Waste Policy: Annexes