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

18.0 National Waste Prevention Programme -
Ireland
18.1 Outline of Policy
The Policy Document ‘Preventing and Recycling Waste - Delivering Change (2002)’
was published by the DoEHLG in March 2002. The document set out an agenda of
initiatives designed to achieve progress at the top of the waste hierarchy, in terms of
preventing waste arising in the first place and achieving improved levels of recycling
of waste that does arise. Funding to modernise recycling infrastructure in Ireland and
other initiatives such as the introduction of a landfill levy (subsequently introduced in
mid-2002) and new Producer Responsibility Initiatives were among the instruments
envisaged in this policy document.
To achieve the goals laid out in this document it was proposed to establish a Core
Prevention Team within the EPA to implement a National Waste Prevention
Programme (NWPP). The objective of the NWPP was to establish a programme to
deliver substantive results on waste prevention and minimisation across all waste
streams. The goal is to stabilise waste risings, reverse current trends in waste
production, decouple waste generation from economic growth and minimise the
environmental impact of waste 388 .
The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government announced funding
of €2 million to start a broad waste prevention initiative in April 2004. The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was invited to lead this programme and
immediately published an Outline Work Plan 2004-2008. The EPA has published a
new Prevention Plan 2009-2012, this document is presented as a framework
statement of intent for work to be completed on the Prevention Programme for the
four-year period to 2012, subject to resources being available.
The NWPP has a number of initiatives / policies in place in order to prevent waste
from being produced. The initiatives described in what follows are derived directly
from the 2002 Policy Document.
Green Green Schools
Schools
Green-Schools, known internationally as Eco-Schools, is an international
environmental education programme, environmental management system and award
scheme that promotes and acknowledges long-term, whole school action for the
environment. Green-Schools covers a number of different themes, initially with litter
and waste minimisation and followed by themes such as energy, water, transport, and
healthy living. There are seven steps in this Programme, and all seven steps must be
implemented in order to apply for an award.
388 EPA (2004) National Waste Prevention Programme, Outline Work Plan 2004 to 2008, Wexford:
EPA, April 2004.
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