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

51.4.2.1 ‘Changing Our Ways’
Changing Our Ways set out the following quantitative targets of relevance to the
Landfill Directive, to be achieved over a 15-year period (i.e. to 2013): 869
708
1. a diversion of 50% of overall household waste away from landfill;
2. a minimum 65% reduction in biodegradable wastes consigned to landfill;,
3. the development of waste recovery facilities employing environmentally
beneficial technologies, as an alternative to landfill, including the development
of composting and other feasible biological treatment facilities capable of
treating up to 300,000 tonnes of biodegradable waste per annum,
4. recycling of 35% of municipal waste,
5. recycling at least 50% of C&D waste within a five year period, with a
progressive increase to at least 85% over fifteen years,
6. an 80% reduction in methane emissions from landfill, which will make a useful
contribution to meeting Ireland's international obligations.
With the exception of target 2, there is little by way of supporting rationale or evidence
provided to justify the choice of these particular targets. In the case of target 2, there
does not appear to be monitoring of progress towards this target (which covers all
waste, not just biodegradable municipal waste, which is monitored).
These targets remained unchanged in a 2002 policy document. 870 In addition there
was a stated aim of recovering 50% of packaging waste by 2005 (which follows from
the Packaging Directive).
The 35% recycling target, which had been regarded as ‘particularly challenging’ as
late as 2004, 871 was more or less achieved by 2005, illustrating the rapidity of
progress, but also, the scope for further increases in recycling. The recovery rate
reported by the EPA (which approximates very closely to a recycling rate) was 36.5%
in 2007. 872
As suggested above, precisely because Ireland’s definition of municipal waste
includes commercial waste, the target might have been made somewhat easier to
achieve than it might have been in countries where the definition of municipal waste
is more closely aligned with household waste (given that much commercial waste
arises in relatively clean streams of material, notably paper and card). This may
explain why progress on recycling has been quicker than expected. At the same time,
869 DoELG (1998) Waste Management: Changing our Ways, September 1998.
870 DoELG (2002) Preventing and Recycling Waste: Delivering Change, March 2002.
871 DoEHLG (2004) Managing Waste: Taking Stock & Moving Forward, April 2004.
872 EPA (2009) National Waste Report 2007, Johnstown Castle Estate: EPA.
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