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

As a result of the various organisations involved at an administrative level (Self
Compliers, Repak and Local Authorities), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
takes a coordinating role in the reporting of waste packaging data. The data are
collected from all of these organisations, along with further data from the public
(Local Authority) and private operators of waste recycling, recovery and disposal
facilities. The EPA reports on packaging consumption, recycling and recovery rates to
the DoEHLG and to the public.
The EPA has a supervisory role over Local Authorities under the EPA Act, which is
provided through the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement and through the
EPA/Local Authority ‘Packaging Enforcement Network’, an enforcement group chaired
by the Office of Environmental Enforcement of the EPA and including enforcement
officers from Local Authorities.
The EPA also has an advisory role in the development of research, the generation of
national reviews and the production of guidance in best practice and expertise within
the area of waste management and waste prevention. The EPA provides this guidance
through its “Core Prevention Team”.
Regulatory Regulatory Enforcement
Enforcement
Local Authorities are responsible for the enforcement of the regulations within their
individual functional areas. The powers of the Local Authorities include the power to:
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� Enter and inspect a premises;
� Serve a notice on an individual or company and require the production/ or
proof of compliance through information and documentary evidence; and
� Take summary proceedings for an offence, and in the case of prosecution,
recover the cost of the proceedings from the offender.
Local Authorities are responsible for the permitting of recycling and recovery facilities
located within their administrative area along with the permitting of the collection and
transportation of recycled and recovered waste.
The EPA is responsible for licensing the major recovery operators. The EPA has
supervisory control over all local authorities under Section 63 of the Environmental
Protection Agency Act, 1992 and has been assigned a role in producer responsibility
on a range of waste streams, including packaging.
As mentioned in the introduction, the main driver within the packaging regulation
framework to date has been in the generation of recycling and recovery targets.
While these mandatory targets continue to be of importance, attention is now
beginning to focus on Packaging Prevention as the means by which to effect a change
in future packaging trends.
The EPA’s Core Prevention Team has initiated a project to search for all newly
obligated producers in order to directly alert them to their obligations under the
packaging waste regulations and to assist local authorities in their enforcement
efforts.
Responsibilities for the packaging system are summarised in Table 12-1.
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