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

Quantified actual savings included diversion of 1,113 tonnes of waste from landfill,
reduction of 5,000 tonnes of water consumption and 3,000 tonnes of carbon
emissions. If extrapolated across the entire sector the economic benefit could
amount to €81.4 million in cost savings, and diversion of 56,000 tonnes of waste
from landfill. 399
This project is currently being developed further with up to 200 hotels being actively
recruited throughout the country by early 2009. A range of awards and assessment
criteria have been developed to underpin this project.
It is anticipated that considerable quantities of biodegradable waste can be
prevented or diverted from landfill with the continued implementation of the Greening
Irish Hotels project under the Green Business Initiative (up to 70% biodegradable 400).
By reducing packaging, preventing waste, increasing re-cycling and segregation the
hotels have saved 4,000 tonnes (1,600 full skips) of landfill waste. This is equal to
monetary savings of between €5,000 and €45,000 per hotel. Eight per cent of Irish
Hotels are now accredited to the scheme. The target for 2009 is to expand the
current membership of 180 hotels and catering firms to 300. It is also intended to
expand the scheme to other similar sectors, including contract catering, nursing
homes and hospitals, which should also realise significant diversion of biodegradable
waste. 401 The level of waste reported in the National Waste Report 2007, allied with
the need for businesses to reduce costs in 2009, reflects the need for continued
support for this Scheme. The fact that this Scheme is being extended to encompass
other sectors including restaurants, pubs and contracting catering demonstrates the
success of this Programme.
As part of the Green Business website (www.greenbusiness.ie ) a Waste Audit Tool
(WAT) was developed, which allows business to break down the types, volumes and
sources of waste, helping business to monitor, prevent waste from being produced
and hence reduce costs. Using this WAT many businesses in Ireland have already
started making resource efficiency savings by reducing the amount of waste
produced, water consumed and energy used. Hotels, manufacturers and food
processors have shown to successfully reduce the amount of waste being disposed of
in landfill site without in any way compromising the quality of service or levels of
comfort offered by the hotel to its customers.
LAPD LAPD
LAPD
As mentioned above the LAPD Programme assists local authorities to design and
implement local integrated waste prevention programmes and projects. This allows
local authority staff to enable organisations including their own, to prevent waste from
being produced. Example projects include Dundrum Shopping Centre which has
reduced waste charges by approximately €168,000 annually following a waste audit
and the introduction of improved practices. They are currently testing an on site
399 EPA, National Waste Prevention Programme, Fourth Annual Report 2007/08.
400 EPA, National Waste Prevention Programme, Third Annual Report 2006/07.
401 EPA, National Waste Prevention Programme, Fourth Annual Report 2007/08.
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