Source from edie newsroom
Written by Maxine Perella
The findings of a study into the impact of introducing household food waste regulations in Ireland will be released before the summer, Environment Minister Phil Hogan has announced.
Speaking at CIWM conference in Tipperary last week (28 April), the Minister confirmed that his department was due to complete its impact assessment on the draft regulations shortly and that a decision would be reached in the coming weeks.
The focus on household food waste follows on from commercial food waste regulations that were introduced in Ireland last year, requiring waste producers to source-segregate food waste using a brown bin system so it can be composted or treated through anaerobic digestion.
The Minister also said that his department would be embarking on another regulatory impact assessment this month examining the competitiveness of the household waste collection market.
“This is a change which is supported by a number of analyses of the Irish waste market and stakeholders like you will be included in this assessment process,” he told delegates.
The Minister also touched upon his recent announcement on the landfill levy rise which he said would help drive the uptake of alternative treatment options, and reiterated that the government’s new waste policy, to be published by the end of 2011, will be founded on a strong evidence base.
“I want to see effective, efficient and quality waste services being provided to business and householders. I want a waste policy that delivers for the citizen and the environment,” he said.
While not revealing specifics on the new policy, he did say it would be consistent with national and EU policy and that it would help facilitate “necessary investment in infrastructure” within an appropriately regulated market framework.
“We need to kick on and make up for lost time in driving forward our management of waste. The internationally recognised waste hierarchy is the bedrock on which our waste policy must sit,” he said.
