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

extended to householders, but is intended to catch all other non-household sources
of significant quantities of the organic fraction of biodegradable municipal waste. The
introduction of this statutory instrument would rapidly divert large volumes of
biodegradable waste from landfill and is easily achievable in the commercial sector.
This legislation will be available for comment via a consultative group.
In addition, the work of the Market Development Group, and the development of
standards will assist in making compost more acceptable to end-users.
37.12 Effect of the Policy on Pricing of Resources / Services
There has been no systematic evaluation of the effect on costs of the Regulations in
their final form. Cré commented on the Draft regulations and highlighted some of the
potential cost implications of the Regulations in Draft form. The approach does have
the effect of increasing costs in line with what one might call a precautionary
approach. It is not, here, the intention to internalise externalities, rather it is the
intention to prevent the incidence of new outbreaks of animal pathogens.
Biological treatment facilities can contribute significantly to diverting material from
landfill and achieving Ireland’s recycling targets. Ireland remains the most expensive
of the benchmark countries for biological waste treatment gate fees and, following
increases in gate fees from €80 per tonne in 2005 to €90 in 2006, is now
significantly above the benchmark of the other countries in terms of prices. 729 The
higher gate fee for biological treatment in Ireland can in part be attributed to the
relatively small scale and limited number of facilities in operation, leading to less
competition, as well as relatively restrictive legislation. Currently there are seven
approved ABP facilities in Ireland. The supply of these facilities is slow due to
regulatory uncertainty, and where demand exists, arguably, prices can be set high
owing to an absence of competition.
37.13 Evasion and Enforcement
Under the relevant ABP legislation the Department of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries
veterinary inspectorate is empowered to take suitable action to protect public and
animal health at approved plants where the operators of plants fail to comply with the
requirements of the legislation. Each composting plant must have its own laboratory
or make use of an external laboratory. The laboratory must be equipped to carry out
the necessary analyses and approved by the competent authority. Sampling must be
done in accordance with the approval as issued to a plant. In cases where noncompliance
occurs where samples result in a serious hygiene risk the following
applies:
596
• The Department of Agriculture and Food must be notified immediately
• The operator of the plant must establish the cause of the failure.
729 Forfás (2008) Waste Management Benchmarking Analysis and Policy Priorities, May 2008.
29/09/09