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

200,000 tonnes, though some of this may be being earmarked for the biological
treatment of residual waste (i.e. MBT facilities). This would only become clear with a
more thorough investigation. However, the suggestion is that if market conditions
improve, that capacity might be developed relatively swiftly. This is important for
reasons which will be explained below.
Some stakeholders have mentioned the amount of capacity available at rendering
plants in Ireland. It is far from clear to us that rendering plants would be suitable for
dealing with much of the biodegradable waste in Ireland. Rendering may be
appropriate for dealing with some biowastes, notably animal parts, but the process
would give rise to residues requiring subsequent treatment. The EPA, on the other
hand, appears to be confident that rendering facilities could deal with biowaste which
is collected, at least in the short term.
One clear problem for Ireland, facing up to the urgency of the current situation, is that
as collectors roll out biowaste collection infrastructure, the demand for biowaste
treatment infrastructure has the potential to exceed supply. This could lead to
relatively high prices (composting gate fees are already estimated to be at high levels
by European standards) in the short-term whilst the infrastructure develops. The
availability of capacity at rendering plants would, therefore, be useful as much from
the perspective of setting a price ceiling as from the desirability of the treatment per
se.
51.3 Treatment of Residual Municipal Waste
As regards the treatment of residual municipal waste, there is very little by way of
facilities currently operating in Ireland. There are facilities in development and others
with planning permission and permits already in place.
51.3.1 Thermal Treatment
The last meaningful review of the status of Regional Waste Plans was provided in
‘Taking Stock and Moving Forward’. 857 As of the end of 2003/early 2004, the
document reported that of the ten regions, all but two provided for thermal treatment
in their plans, though Wicklow indicated a preference to use capacity developed
elsewhere. Of the two without thermal treatment in their plans, one of them, Cork, is a
region in which proposals for such a facility are already advanced.
Since the publication of ‘Taking Stock’, many Regions have revisited their Regional
Waste Plans. A recent report suggests, however, that only Donegal, Wicklow and
Kildare do not recommend the use of thermal treatment within their Regional Waste
Plans, but these regions suggest that they will look at developments in neighbouring
regions. 858
857 DoEHLG (2004) Taking Stock and Moving Forward, April 2004.
858 Fehily Timoney and Co (2008) Critical Analysis of the Potential for Mechanical Biological Treatment
for Irish Waste Management: Volume 2, Research Report for the EPA, September 2008.
703
International Review of Waste Policy: Annexes