Home Latest News

As of: 16.02.2011Ireland: Waste figures 2009 - Ireland is on the right track towards EU targets

Future priorities include the roll-out of source-segregated collections, recovery of organic waste and development of infrastructure for the pre-treatment of municipal waste for disposal

Ireland is well advanced in achieving most of the EU waste recovery and recycling targets, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Waste Report 2009. However, the report urges continued efforts to divert biodegradable waste from landfill, improve the penetration of source separated waste collection services, and prevent waste arisings from all sectors of society.

In 2009, municipal waste generation in Ireland fell by a further 8.4 percent following a 5 percent reduction the previous year. These changes are in line with reductions in GDP and personal consumption levels. The amount of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled fell by 11 percent, leaving Ireland within 143,000 tonnes of meeting its EU Landfill Directive diversion target for 2010. Household waste generation fell by 3 percent in spite of an increase in population; 70 percent of packaging waste was recovered and there was a decrease of 62 percent in construction and demolition waste.

Other key findings:

• The recovery rate of 70 per cent for packaging waste already exceeds the EU target of 60 per cent by 2011.
• Municipal waste recycling achieved a rate of 35 per cent, close to the EU27 norm of 40 per cent.
• Household waste generation fell by 3 per cent and commercial waste generation fell by 12 per cent.
• Construction and demolition waste decreased by 62 per cent.

Commenting on the report’s findings, Ms Laura Burke, Director of the EPA’s Office of Climate Change, Licensing and Resource Use said: ''While the reductions in waste generation and the improvements in recovery seen in 2009 are welcome, we must continue to focus on resource efficiency to ensure that when economic growth does return, it is not accompanied by a surge in waste generation.''

For future priorities for the Irish waste management strategy, she identified, among others, the further roll-out of source-segregated collections, recovery of organic waste and development of infrastructure for the pre-treatment of municipal waste prior to disposal.

The National Waste Report 2009 is available under: www.epa.ie/downloads/pubs/waste/stats

Source: www.recyclingportal.eu / Environmental Protection Agency

• We are exhibiting at IFAT 2014
  
  

  05th - 09th May 2014
  Munich

  

• Veolia plans reorganisation and further cost cutting
  The French environmental services concern Veolia... more
•  
  Beijing’s waste treatment capacity to be expanded
  Beijing plans to raise its waste management capacity to... more
•  
  Stainless steel recycler ELG Haniel books sharp drop in 2012 revenues and profits
  German stainless steel recycling group ELG was able to... more