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

6.0 Review of Irish Policy on Prevention and
Recycling
The main policy documents relating to Waste Policy in Ireland are:
85
� Changing Our Ways (1998); 116
� Preventing and Recycling Waste - Delivering Change (2002); 117
� Waste Management - Taking Stock and Moving Forward (2004); 118 and
� National Biodegradable Waste Strategy (2006). 119
These four Policy Documents are the drivers behind each of the policies analysed in
this Report. This Annex highlights the documents’ influence on policy in respect of
waste prevention, and on recycling and composting / digestion.
6.1 Waste Prevention in Ireland
The latest EPA National Waste Report 2007, states that a total of 3,397,683 tonnes
of municipal waste was generated in Ireland in 2007, is an increase of 1.4% on the
2006 figures. 120 The report also states that the recycling of municipal waste
increased by 3.6% to an overall recycling rate of 36.5% and recycling of household
waste continued to increase (by 8% in 2007) to an overall recycling rate of 26%.
From Figure 6-1 below it is apparent that in the period 2002-2006, personal
consumption of goods and services increased by 6%, gross domestic product (GDP)
increased by 6% and there was a 2.6% increase in population. Over this period,
municipal waste generation appears to have grown at a similar rate to GDP and
personal consumption. There is a suggestion; therefore, that economic growth and
the commensurate growth in consumption have been strong factors influencing the
quantity of waste that is produced. Over this period, there appears to have been little,
if any, decoupling effect. This suggests that, at least during this period, waste
prevention policies and initiatives have not managed to exert a significant influence
on waste generation.
Ireland relies on material recycling facilities abroad, with just 24% of all waste
recycling took place in Ireland in 2007. 121 Implementation of the Market
Development Group commenced in 2008, the aim of which is to develop existing
116 DoELG (1998) Waste Management: Changing our Ways, September 1998.
117 DoELG (2002) Preventing and Recycling Waste: Delivering Change, March 2002.
118 DoEHLG (2004) Taking Stock and Moving Forward, April 2004.
119 DoEHLG (2006) National Biodegradable Waste Strategy, April 2006.
120 EPA (2009) National Waste Report 2007, Wexford: EPA.
121 EPA (2009) National Waste Report 2007, Wexford: EPA.
International Review of Waste Policy: Annexes