National Waste Report 2008

Transcription

1 National Waste Prevention Programme National Waste Report 2008 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY An Ghníomhaireacht um Chaomhnú Comhshaoil PO Box 3000, Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford, Ireland Telephone: Fax: Website: LoCall

2 Environmental Protection Agency 2009 All or part of this publication may be reproduced without further permission, provided the source is acknowledged. National Waste Report 2008 Published by the Environmental Protection Agency, Ireland This document does not purport to be and should not be considered a legal interpretation of the legislation referred to herein. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the material contained in this publication, complete accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Neither the Environmental Protection Agency nor the authors accept any responsibility whatsoever for loss or damage occasioned, or claimed to have been occasioned, in part or in full as a consequence of any person acting or refraining from acting, as a result of a matter contained in this publication. All or part of this publication may be reproduced without further permission, provided the source is acknowledged. Authors: Fiona McCoole, Dr. Jonathan Derham, Dr. Isabelle Kurz, Dr. Tara Higgins ISBN: /09/450 Price: 20 ii

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements List of terms Executive summary, conclusions and recommendations iv v viii 1 Introduction 1 2 Generation of municipal waste 7 3 Management of municipal waste 10 4 Biodegradable municipal waste 19 5 Packaging waste 25 6 Waste electrical and electronic equipment 28 7 Construction and demolition waste 29 8 Industrial waste 31 9 Hazardous waste Waste infrastructure and collections 46 APPENDICES 52 Appendix A Indicators 53 Appendix B Household waste 54 Appendix C Waste types collected at bring banks 56 Appendix D Waste types collected at civic amenity sites 57 Appendix E Landfills in operation 59 Appendix F Biodegradable waste calculations 61 iii

4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The cooperation of all respondents to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2008 waste data questionnaires and respondents assistance with queries during the validation of data for this report is gratefully acknowledged. We would particularly like to acknowledge the time and assistance provided by local authorities, recovery and waste facility operators, landfill operators, hazardous waste treatment facility operators and industrial enterprises. We are indebted to our colleagues in the Office of Environmental Enforcement for their part in obtaining and verifying waste data submitted by EPA-licensed facilities 1. The assistance of other EPA colleagues who helped with the preparation of this report is also gratefully acknowledged. Acknowledgement is also due to Enviros Consulting Limited, who worked on behalf of the EPA in the collection, compilation and validation of the waste data for 2008 submitted by local authorities, recovery operators, hazardous waste treatment facilities, landfills and industry. The assistance of staff in a number of other organisations is also acknowledged, including the National TransFrontier Shipment (TFS) Office, Repak, WEEE Ireland, the European Recycling Platform (ERP), the Central Statistics Office (CSO), and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DEHLG). 1 Data from Annual Environmental Reports (AERs) and Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR). iv

5 LIST OF TERMS An Annual Environmental Report (AER) must be submitted to the EPA each year by waste-licensed and IPPC-licensed companies, providing summary information on all aspects of the environmental performance of the licensed facility e.g. data on emissions to air and water, waste management, resource consumption, objectives and targets, and complaints. AERs are made publicly available on the EPA website. Local authorities also require AERs from all waste collection permit (WCP) and waste permit (WP) holders. 2-bin or 3-bin system refers to a source segregated collection system where dry recyclables and residual wastes are separately collected (2-bin system), or where dry recyclables, organics and residuals are separately collected (3-bin system). The reference to black bin in this document is a reference to a single bin collection or to the residuals bin from a 2-bin or 3-bin system. The reference to green bin in this document is a reference to the dry recyclables collection, and brown bin is a reference to the organics bin collection. Biodegradable (in the context of waste) means waste that is capable of undergoing anaerobic or aerobic decomposition, such as food and garden waste, paper and cardboard etc. Biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) means the biodegradable component of municipal waste, and does not include biostabilised waste. Biodegradable municipal waste is typically composed of food and garden waste, wood, paper, cardboard and textiles. Biostabilised residual waste means residual BMW that has been treated to achieve an EPA-approved biodegradability stability standard prior to landfilling or alternative agreed use. (Not a compost product standard as understood by EU 1774/2002). Biowaste means biodegradable garden and park waste, food and kitchen waste from households, restaurants, caterers and retail premises and comparable waste from food processing plants. Commercial waste, in the context of this report, is a term used to describe the non-household fraction of municipal waste, which is produced by commercial premises such as shops, offices and restaurants, as well as municipal premises such as schools, hospitals etc. It also includes non-process industrial waste arising from factory canteens, offices etc. Commercial waste is broadly similar in composition to household waste, consisting of a mixture of paper and cardboard, plastics, organics, metal and glass. Construction and demolition (C&D) waste is all waste that arises from construction, renovation and demolition activities and all wastes mentioned in Chapter 17 of the European Waste Catalogue (EWC). CSO the Central Statistics Office. DEHLG the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Disposal means any operation which is not recovery even where the operation has as a secondary consequence the reclamation of substances or energy. Annex I of the new Waste Framework Directive (WsFD) (Directive 2008/98/EC) sets out a non-exhaustive list of disposal operations. End of Life Vehicle (ELV) means a vehicle which is waste within the meaning of Article 1(a) of Directive 75/442/EEC (Directive 2000/53/EC on end-of life vehicles). EPA the Environmental Protection Agency. European Waste Catalogue (EWC), now called the List of Wastes, is a list of all waste types generated in the EU. The different types of waste are fully defined by a six-digit code, with two digits each for chapter, subchapter and waste type. The catalogue is available for download from EPA website at v

6 Hazardous wastes are wastes that have the potential to cause harm to human health or the environment. Any waste which displays one or more of the hazardous properties listed in Annex III of the new Waste Framework Directive (WsFD) (Directive 2008/98/EC) is defined as hazardous waste. Household waste is defined as waste produced within the curtilage of a building or self-contained part of a building used for the purposes of living accommodation. Industrial waste is waste produced by industrial activity such as that of factories, mills and mines. Nonprocess industrial waste (e.g. from site canteen, office, etc.) is similar in character to commercial waste. Inert waste is waste that does not undergo any significant physical, chemical or biological transformations. Inert waste will not dissolve, burn or otherwise physically or chemically react, biodegrade or adversely affect other matter with which it comes into contact in any way likely to give rise to environmental pollution or harm human health. An Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) licence is an authorisation issued and enforced by the EPA for specific industrial and agricultural activities. An IPPC licence sets limits on air and water emissions, waste and noise and requires that an activity must use the Best Available Techniques (BAT). An Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF) in the context of this report is one that combines a landfill and other waste infrastructure such as civic amenity site, transfer station, composting or other treatment facilities. Kerbside collection is a common reference for the practice of collecting household or commercial waste directly from its source, often, though not necessarily, from the pavement or front door. Mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) means the treatment of residual municipal waste through a combination of manual and mechanical processing and biological stabilisation, in order to stabilise and reduce the volume of waste that requires disposal. Metric tonnes are expressed as t throughout this report. MFSU manufacture, formulation, supply and use. Municipal solid waste (MSW) or Municipal waste means household waste as well as commercial and other waste that, because of its nature or composition, is similar to household waste. It excludes municipal sludges and effluents. In the context of this report municipal waste consists of three main elements - household, commercial (including non-process industrial waste), and street cleansing waste (street sweepings, street bins and municipal parks and cemeteries maintenance waste, litter campaign material, fly tipped material). NEC not elsewhere classified. Organic waste is biodegradable food, garden and landscaping waste. Packaging is used to contain, protect and present goods. Virtually all packaging eventually becomes waste. Packaging is made from such materials as cardboard, paper, glass, plastic, steel, aluminium, wood, and composite materials such as those used in milk and juice cartons. The Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) Regulations 2007 require that releases of pollutants and off-site transfers of waste by facilities operating in relevant industrial sectors must be reported annually to the EPA. The EPA in turn reports this information to the European E-PRTR website. Preparing for reuse means checking, cleaning or repairing recovery operations, by which products or components of products that have become waste are prepared so that they can be reused without any other pre-processing. vi

7 Recovery means any operation the principal result of which is waste serving a useful purpose by replacing other materials which would otherwise have been used to fulfil a particular function, or waste being prepared to fulfil that function, in the plant or in the wider economy. Annex II of the new Waste Framework Directive (WsFD) (Directive 2008/98/EC) sets out a non-exhaustive list of recovery operations, which includes material recovery (i.e. recycling), energy recovery (i.e. use a fuel (other than in direct incineration) or other means to generate energy) and biological recovery (e.g. composting). Direct recycling or reuse within industrial plants at the place of generation is excluded. Recycling means any recovery operation by which waste materials are reprocessed into products, materials or substances whether for the original or other purposes. It includes the reprocessing of organic material but does not include energy recovery and the reprocessing into materials that are to be used as fuels or for backfilling operations. Residual waste means the fraction of collected waste remaining after a treatment or diversion step, which generally requires further treatment or disposal. Reuse means any operation by which products or components that are not waste are used again for the same purpose for which they were conceived. Solid recovered fuels (SRF) and refuse derived fuels (RDF) are fuels produced from waste through a number of different processes such as mechanical separation, blending and compressing to increase the fuel value of the waste. Such waste derived fuels can be comprised of paper, plastic and other combustible wastes and can be combusted in a waste-to-energy plant, cement kiln or industrial furnace. The TransFrontier Shipment of Waste (TFS) Regulations 2007 set out new notification procedures, revised waste listings and enforcement provisions in relation to the export, import and transit of waste shipments within the EU. The National TFS Office at Dublin City Council is the competent authority for the implementation and enforcement of the TFS Regulations since 12 July Treatment means recovery or disposal operations, including preparation prior to recovery or disposal. Waste is defined as any substance or object which the holder discards, intends to discard or is required to discard, under the new Waste Framework Directive (WsFD) (Directive 2008/98/EC). Waste management means the collection, transport, recovery and disposal of waste, including the supervision of such operations and the after-care of disposal sites, and including actions taken as a dealer or broker. Waste producer means anyone whose activities produce waste (original waste producer) or anyone who carries out pre-processing, mixing or other operations resulting in a change in the nature or composition of this waste, under the new Waste Framework Directive (WsFD) (Directive 2008/98/EC). Waste electrical and electronic equipment ( WEEE ) refers to electrical and electronic equipment which is waste within the meaning of article 1(a) of Council Directive 75/442/EEC of 15 July 1975 on waste, including all components, subassemblies and consumables which are part of the product at the time of discarding. [Note: the list of terms above is intended to assist understanding of this report, and does not purport to be a legal interpretation of said terms]. vii

8 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for producing national statistics on waste generation and management in the Republic of Ireland, including information on waste exports and imports. The objective of the current report is to present the most up to date information available on waste generation and management in Ireland, as reported to the EPA. This report is for the calendar year 2008 and deals with municipal solid wastes (household, commercial and local authority cleansing wastes) and industrial wastes (reported every second year) generated and recovered/disposed in Some of the key statistics and findings from the report are set out below. Municipal Waste A total of 3,224,281 t of municipal waste was generated, a 5% reduction on 2007 figures; The recovery of municipal waste increased by 1% to yield an overall recovery rate of 37.5%. The disposal of municipal waste to landfill decreased by a corresponding 1%; The quantity of biodegradable municipal waste disposed at landfill decreased by 19% to 1,196,044 t; this leaves Ireland 280,000 t short of the first Landfill Directive target due by July 2010; Of the 2,091,709 t of biodegradable municipal waste available, 57% was consigned to landfill; Household waste generation dropped by 5% to 1,677,338 t, notwithstanding a reported population rise of c. 83,100 persons; Of the total managed household waste (1,556,879 t), some 26% was recovered; Commercial waste generation dropped by 5% to 1,477,397 t, of which 49% was recovered; Home composting increased by c. 7% to an estimated 36,713 t; The quantity of organic waste collected from household kerbsides doubled to 37,920 t; A 2-bin service (residuals bin and dry recyclables bin) was provided to 95% of serviced households; A 3-bin service (residuals, dry recyclables and organics bins) was provided to 21% of serviced households; The private sector collected 57% of the 1,161,152 t of waste reported as collected from households; The recovery of non-hazardous municipal waste that took place in Ireland amounted to 22%; The UK remains the principal initial destination for Irish municipal waste recyclables; Due to the significant price reduction in the international recyclates market in late-2008, waste operators reported considerable volumes of mixed dry recyclables and segregated recyclable waste streams in storage at the end of 2008 (approximately 40,000 t more in storage than at the end of 2007). viii

9 Producer responsibility initiative waste streams A recovery rate of 65% is reported for packaging waste, exceeding the EU target of 60% recovery due in 2011; A total of 51,964 t of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) was collected for recovery, including 9 kg per capita of household WEEE, exceeding the 4 kg per capita EU target; Construction and demolition waste There was a 24% decrease in the reported quantity of construction and demolition waste collected (13.5 million tonnes) and managed (10.5 million tonnes), compared with 2007 data; Industrial waste The mining and aluminium production sectors continued to be the largest generators of non-hazardous industrial waste, while the slaughtering and rendering, brewing and timber industries also continued to contribute strongly; Since the last industry survey in 2006, there was little change in the generation of waste by the manufacturing sector (1% decrease) while a more substantial 10% decrease was noted in the quantity of waste generated by the mining sector; Hazardous waste The quantity of hazardous waste managed increased by 5% to 319,098 t, originating primarily from the pharmaceutical and chemical industries; a significant 25% increase was noted in the quantity of hazardous waste treated at EPA-licensed hazardous waste treatment facilities; Waste infrastructure A total of 31 active landfills accepted municipal waste for disposal; Local authorities reported that there were 96 civic amenity sites and 1,989 bring banks in operation, compared to 90 and 1,960 respectively in 2007; The reported tonnage of waste brought to civic amenity sites and bring banks was 302,755 t, an increase of 1% on Conclusions The 5% decline in the generation of municipal waste mirrored the fall in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between 2007 and The data also show that household waste generation fell despite a rise in population, and that recovery rates generally improved across most waste streams. Significant progress has been made in managing waste in Ireland, particularly in respect of municipal waste generation and management. There remains considerable effort required in relation to diversion of biodegradable waste from landfill. Ireland is well advanced concerning achievement of its EU recovery/recycling obligations in relation to a range of EU waste directives. ix

10 Development of essential waste infrastructure continues to be a challenge in the State. Facilities for the separate collection of waste, for materials recovery/recycling, for treatment of the biodegradable proportion of municipal waste, for waste-to-energy etc. are underdeveloped or absent. Using the Economic and Social Research Institute s (ESRI) Sustainable Development Model for Ireland (ISus) to forecast national environmental emissions and resource use up to 2030, it is estimated that the total volume of municipal waste is likely to increase quite substantially within the coming decade, necessitating future investment in waste management infrastructure. Recommendations The diversion of very large quantities of food waste from landfill is a priority that must be addressed. The growing need for businesses to reduce costs in the current difficult economic climate underlines the need for continued support for resource efficiency and conservation initiatives in relation to waste, water and energy, such as those provided under the National Waste Prevention Programme (NWPP). The priority actions for biodegradable municipal waste management in Ireland for 2010 are similar to those identified in the National Waste Report for 2007, and include the need to: Promote food waste prevention through NWPP initiatives such as StopFoodWaste.ie, Green Business and Green Hospitality Awards. Put in place services for the separate collection of organic (particularly food) waste at households and commercial premises; Ensure there is adequate infrastructure to treat the very large quantities of organic (particularly food) waste that must be collected separately and diverted from landfill; Develop outlets for the products of such treatment; to this end successful implementation of the Government sponsored Market Development Programme should provide valuable support mechanisms for the national recyclates industry; Formulate and implement regulations/bye-laws that can be used to enforce the segregation and separate collection of food waste at household and commercial premises; Deliver any relevant new waste policy on foot of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government-funded International Review of Waste Management Policy in Ireland as quickly as possible. This will assist in providing certainty within the waste industry in Ireland and allows for accelerated investment programmes that are necessary if organic waste is to be treated and landfill avoided; In summer 2009, the EPA published guidance on municipal waste pre-treatment and, on foot of that guidance, proceeded to review the municipal waste landfill licences in the State and attach appropriate pre-treatment licence conditions. This licence review process is expected to be substantially completed by the end of It is important that licence holders immediately put in place measures to ensure compliance with the revised licence conditions by the dates specified in the licences. x

11 1 INTRODUCTION The EPA is responsible for producing national statistics on waste generation and management in the Republic of Ireland, including information on waste exports and imports. The objective of the National Waste Report (NWR) is to present the most up to date information available on waste generation and management in Ireland, as reported to the EPA. National waste statistics are prepared and published annually 2 as part of the National Waste Prevention Programme (NWPP) 3. The waste data collected for the NWR is used to report to the EU Commission on various EU Directives (packaging, WEEE etc.), the Waste Statistics Regulation and the Basel Convention. The EPA recognises that good data on waste generation and waste management are fundamental in informing national and EU policy in relation to waste. National Waste Report survey approach The current NWR presents waste data for the calendar year Generators of waste described in this report include households, commercial premises, and industrial and construction activities. Several data sources were used to collate the information presented in this NWR, including: Local authorities; National TFS Office; Licensed landfill operators; Recovery organisations and general waste facility operators 4 ; Industrial activities; Hazardous waste treatment facilities. The sources of all data cited are referenced throughout the report. The co-operation of all respondent organisations is gratefully acknowledged and this report could not be produced without their providing good quality data. All survey returns were desk-top validated and 34 data verification audits were carried out, covering 11 local authority functional areas and 56 waste operators. The EPA adopted a more direct approach to collating the 2008 municipal waste data, by collecting and verifying the data directly at source for eight of the largest municipal waste companies in the State. It is anticipated that this approach will continue and be refined for the NWR The EPA also carried out data reconciliation visits to the WEEE and packaging compliance schemes. The waste accounting method used in this and previous NWRs does not include material in transit or temporary storage as it is neither disposed nor recovered. This quantity generally does not vary significantly year-on-year (176,312 t in transit/temporary storage at the end of 2007, and 174,412 t at the end of 2008). The bulk of the material is typically construction and demolition (C&D) material awaiting recovery; however, the building slowdown during 2008 led to a reduction in C&D material in storage. There was instead increased storage of dryrecyclables/packaging waste, arising from the low international market prices for dry recyclables in late This impacted in particular on the lower-grade recyclates coming from the household waste stream. As a result, there was approx. 40,000 t more mixed dry recyclables and packaging waste in storage at the end of 2008 than the end of Some recovery in international market prices for dry recyclables occurred in National Waste Reports for the years 1995, 1998 and all years from are available to download at 3 More information at 4 Municipal solid waste operators, recycling organisations, WEEE handlers, metal handlers, composters, pallet merchants. 1

12 In the NWR 2006, the EPA committed to conducting research on the classification of municipal waste by operators. The subsequent research confirmed that: (a) The increased processing (including separating, treating, mixing and merging) of waste streams will render differentiation between municipal, industrial and construction and demolition wastes more challenging; (b) Waste operators definitions of municipal waste reflect operational, not statistical, needs; and (c) There is a need for further research to explore whether a consistent classification system for all operators can be introduced, or whether operators systems can be translated to a common system. The EPA recognises that data for the C&D sector continues to present interpretation and reconciliation challenges. The main issue appears to be how the sector defines waste and the potential for secondary resources not being properly accounted for. The EPA plans to focus closely on the C&D sector in the coming report years with a view to improving material classification, data collection and verification. In September 2008, the Batteries Directive was transposed into national legislation by the Waste Management (Batteries and Accumulators) Regulations (S.I. No. 268 of 2008). It is anticipated that batteries will be reported on as a separate waste stream in future NWRs in order to determine Ireland s progress on achieving the targets set down by the legislation. National developments The current National Waste Report is particularly important in relation to its timing, following on from the recent completion of the in-depth International Review of Waste Management Policy in Ireland 5. This assessment of national waste management policy was provided for in the Programme for Government. In 2008, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DEHLG) initiated the review, and it is intended that the outcome will inform any developments in the Irish waste management policy environment over the next few years, including the role of local authorities and the private waste management industry. The information in the current NWR will assist any appropriate decision-making on foot of the International Review. In summer 2009, the EPA published guidance on municipal waste pre-treatment 6 and, on foot of that guidance, proceeded to review the municipal waste landfill licences in the State and attach appropriate pre-treatment licence conditions. It is expected that this licence review process will be substantially completed by the end of The EPA pre-treatment guidance also dealt with the required reduction in biodegradable waste to landfill arising from the EU Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC), the first compliance date being in On account of this obligation, special attention has been given to municipal waste management in this report and, in particular, the biodegradable component. The waste data for 2008, as reported here, inform how Ireland is progressing with respect to the Landfill Directive. A key impact of the Landfill Directive obligations will be the availability of an increased tonnage of recyclables. The Market Development Programme (funded by the DEHLG) proposes to develop a range of support tools for the national recycling and recovery market. 7 In 2010, landfill facilities (and other identified waste facilities) will be required through their EPA licence conditions to characterise the residual municipal waste material entering the gate of the facility. This information will assist the production of national data to assess compliance with EU Landfill Directive requirements. The EPA is 5 International Review of Waste Management Policy in Ireland. Eunomia et al. DEHLG, Municipal Solid Waste Pre-Treatment & Residuals Management: An EPA Technical Guidance Document. EPA, Market Development Programme for Waste Resources , available to download from and at See for further information. 2

13 currently in the process of developing guidance to assist waste facility operators in relation to these characterisation requirements. Development of essential waste infrastructure continues to be a challenge in the State. Facilities for the separate collection of waste, for materials recovery/recycling, for treatment of the biodegradable proportion of municipal waste, for waste-to-energy etc. are underdeveloped or absent. This report presents a brief overview of the status of key infrastructure. EU developments and obligations Significant change to national waste management law arising from EU initiatives is also imminent. The EU published its new Waste Framework Directive (WsFD) at the end of 2008 (2008/98/EC), and this is required to be transposed into national law by 12 December This new law will significantly influence waste policy in Europe for years to come. The WsFD reflects the EU waste policy direction set out in the current EU Waste Strategy 8. The stated long-term goal in the EU Strategy is for the EU to become a recycling society that seeks to avoid waste and which uses waste as a resource; accordingly, the Strategy places a strong emphasis on waste prevention. The new WsFD consolidates and repeals the current Waste Framework Directive (2006/12/EC), the Hazardous Waste Directive (91/689/EEC) and the Waste Oils Directive (74/439/EEC). It also attempts to introduce greater legal clarity in relation to its scope; for example in the area of exclusions (what the directive does not cover), definitions, end-of-waste, and waste or by-products decisions. The new WsFD also introduces new or enhanced provisions in the areas of: Extended waste producer responsibility; Waste prevention; Waste prevention programmes; Biowaste management; Waste hierarchy; Product producer responsibility; Inspections; Enforcement sanctions; Separate collections for waste streams. 8 Taking Sustainable Use of Resources Forward - A Thematic Strategy on the Prevention and Recycling of Waste [ , Com(2005) 666 final] 3

14 The Directive requires where technically, environmentally and economically practicable that, by 2015, there must be separate collections for paper, metal, plastic and glass. The Directive also requires that subject to BAT 9 there must be separate collections of biowaste. Moreover, the new Directive establishes certain targets: By 2020, there must be recycling and preparing for reuse of 50% by weight of discarded household paper, plastic, metal and glass. By 2020, there must be recycling, recovery and preparing for reuse of 70% by weight of discarded nonhazardous C&D waste. These targets are in addition to existing EU recovery/recycling targets specified, for example, in the End of Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive (2000/53/EC), the Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment Directive (WEEE) (2002/96/EC), the Batteries Directive (2006/66/EC), and the Packaging Waste Directive (94/62/EC). These are summarised in Table 1. Such targets will present data and compliance pressures for Ireland; that said, it is clear from Table 1 that Ireland has, and is, making significant progress on a number of fronts. The NWR will assist measurement of success of certain initiatives under the National Waste Prevention Programme. 10 It can be seen from the report of progress under the National Waste Prevention Programme that Ireland is well advanced along the prevention path recommended in the new Directive; this achievement being acknowledged in the report of the International Review of Waste Management Policy in Ireland 12 and at EU Commission level. 9 Best Available Techniques 10 See for further information. 11 See 12 International Review of Waste Management Policy in Ireland. Eunomia et al. DEHLG,

15 Table 1: Progress towards EU waste recycling, recovery and diversion targets Directive Title Article 94/62/EC as amended 2002/96/EC Packaging Directive WEEE Directive Target date 6(1) (5) 7(2) ( ) Targets Specifics Current progress to target in Ireland (2008) Indicator 60% as a minimum by weight of packaging waste will be recovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery 65% Achieved 55% as a minimum by weight of packaging waste will be recycled (62%) 13 Better data needed No later than 31 December 2011 the following minimum recycling targets for materials contained in packaging waste will be attained: (i) 60% by weight for glass; 74% 13 Achieved (ii) 60% by weight for paper and board; (78%) 13 Better data needed (iii) 50% by weight for metals; 62% 13 Achieved (iv) 22.5% by weight for plastics, counting exclusively material that is recycled back into plastics; (28%) 13 Better data needed (v) 15% by weight for wood. (77%) 13 Better data needed Achieved Separate collection of > 4kg of WEEE from private households per person per year 9 kg Achieved For large household appliances and automatic dispensers:- recovery shall be increased to a minimum of 80% by an average weight >82% 15 per appliance Achieved component, material and substance reuse and recycling shall be increased >81% 15 to a minimum of 75% by an average weight per appliance For IT, telecommunications and consumer equipment:- the rate of recovery shall be increased to a minimum of 75% by an >85% 15 average weight per appliance Achieved component, material and substance reuse and recycling shall be increased >72% 15 to a minimum of 65% by an average weight per appliance For small household appliances, lighting equipment, electrical & electronic tools, toys, leisure and sports equipment, monitoring and control instruments:- the rate of recovery shall be increased to a minimum of 70% by an >85% 15 average weight per appliance component, material and substance reuse and recycling shall be increased >72% 15 to a minimum of 50% by an average weight per appliance For gas discharge lamps, the rate of component, material and substance reuse and recycling shall reach a minimum of 80% by weight of the lamps >92% 15 Achieved 13 These are packaging recycling percentages for See Section 5 for further information. 14 Ireland obtained a two-year derogation 15 As specified by the WEEE Directive, these estimated recovery and recycling percentages exclude the preparation for reuse of whole appliances. 5

16 Directive Title Article 2000/53/EC 2006/66/EC 1999/31/EC End of Life Vehicles Directive Batteries Directive Landfill Directive Target date 7(2)(a) (2)(b) (2) 12(4) (2) Targets Specifics Reuse and recovery to a minimum of 85% by average weight of vehicle and year. Reuse and recycling to a minimum of 80% by average weight of vehicle and year. Reuse and recovery to a minimum of 95% by average weight of vehicle and year. Reuse and recycling to a minimum of 85% by average weight of vehicle and year Minimum 25% collection rate for batteries & accumulators Minimum 45% collection rate for batteries & accumulators. Current progress to target in Ireland (2008) Recycling processes shall achieve the following minimum recycling efficiencies: Future NWRs - (a) recycling of 65 % by average weight of lead-acid batteries and accumulators, including recycling of the lead content to the highest degree that is technically feasible while avoiding excessive costs; (b) recycling of 75 % by average weight of nickel-cadmium batteries and accumulators, including recycling of the cadmium content to the highest degree that is technically feasible while avoiding excessive costs; and (c) recycling of 50 % by average weight of other waste batteries and accumulators. ( ) Biodegradable municipal waste going to landfills must be reduced to 75% of the total quantity (by weight) biodegradable municipal waste produced in 1995 (< 916,000 t) ( ) ,000 t Separate ELV fact sheet to follow in 2010 Indicator - Risk - Due July 2010 Biodegradable municipal waste going to landfills must be reduced to 50% of the total quantity (by weight) biodegradable municipal waste produced in 1995 (< 610,000 t) + 586,000 t (est) 17 - Risk - Due July 2013 Biodegradable municipal waste going to landfills must be reduced to 35% of the total - Risk - quantity (by weight) biodegradable municipal waste produced in 1995 (427,000 t) + 769,000 t (est) 17 Due July /98/EC New Waste Framework Directive 11(2)(a) (2)(b) Preparing for reuse and recycling of 50% by weight of household derived paper, metal, plastic & glass (includes metal and plastic estimates from household WEEE). Preparing for reuse, recycling and other material recovery (incl. beneficial backfilling operations using waste as a substitute) of 70% by weight of C&D waste (excluding natural soils & stone) 52% Achieved 62% On Track Establishment of a National Waste Prevention Programme N/A Achieved 16 Ireland secured a four-year derogation on first and second targets. 17 Based on a 2008 standstill position. 6

17 2 GENERATION OF MUNICIPAL WASTE In 2008, it is estimated that a total of 3,224,281 t of municipal waste 18 was generated in Ireland, a decrease of 5% on the 2007 figures (Table 2 and Figure 1). This is a significant downward shift. Figure 2 goes some way to assist in an explanation, indicating that between 2007 and 2008 the drop in waste generation in Ireland mirrored the fall in national Gross Domestic Product (GDP). These Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures also indicate a levelling off in personal consumption household waste generation, inter alia, reflects personal consumption patterns. In addition, and on account of the international price drop in the dry recyclates market in the second half of 2008, there was a sizeable tonnage of mixed dry recyclables and packaging waste in storage at the end of 2008 (up approximately 40,000 t on 2007 levels). The data for household waste generation also includes local authority estimates for uncollected household waste (120,459 t; refer to Section 3.2). A distinction is therefore drawn between municipal waste generated and municipal waste managed the latter concerning itself only with waste that is either home composted, collected or brought directly to waste facilities. Table 2: Municipal waste generation, Household waste 1,704,844 1,728,154 1,746,408 1,978,716 1,761, ,677,338 Commercial waste 1,141,264 1,202,824 1,235,629 1,327,068 1,549,075 1,477,397 Cleansing waste 71,779 69,661 58,677 78,822 87,441 69,546 Total municipal waste 2,917,886 3,000,638 3,040,714 3,384,606 3,397,683 3,224,281 % change (Source: recovery organisations survey; landfill survey, local authority survey) The trends in Table 2 show a continuation of the downward trend commenced in 2007, with a 5% decrease in household waste generated and a decrease of 5% in commercial waste arisings. The tonnage of household waste generated is comparable to data for pre A more detailed analysis of the main components of the managed household and commercial municipal streams are discussed in Sections 3.2 and 3.3 of this report. Cleansing waste comprises street sweepings, the content of municipal bins, parks and gardens waste, municipal clean-up material and fly-tipped material. Tracking this material over its full management cycle is challenging, as much of this waste is merged with collected household waste at waste transfer and treatment facilities. Apart from street sweepings (litter, grit, water etc.), the remainder of this material has a similar character to household waste and is accordingly indistinguishable. The landfill section of this report (Section 9.1) identifies some 24,969 t of street sweepings and parks maintenance waste disposed of at landfill in 2008; the remainder of the 69,546 t of cleansing waste collected (consisting principally of fly-tipped and municipal clean-up material) likely became merged with the household and commercial waste streams. 18 In the context of this report municipal waste consists of three main elements - Household, Commercial (including non-process industrial waste), and Street Cleansing waste (street sweepings, street bins and municipal parks and cemeteries maintenance waste, litter campaign material, fly tipped material). 19 WEEE collected at civic amenity sites and retail premises was included in the household waste total this year. 7

18 Index scale (2002 = 100) Tonnes per year Number of people Total municipal waste Population 3,500,000 4,500,000 3,400,000 4,400,000 3,300,000 4,300,000 3,200,000 4,200,000 3,100,000 4,100,000 3,000,000 4,000,000 2,900,000 3,900,000 2,800, Year 3,800,000 Figure 1: Trends in generation of municipal waste, Personal consumption (A) GDP (B) Municipal waste generation (C) Population (D) (A) (B) (C) (D) Year Personal consumption of goods and services, at constant market prices (Source: CSO) GDP, gross domestic product, at constant market prices (Source: CSO) Municipal waste generation (Source: EPA National Waste Report series) Population (Source: CSO) Preliminary CSO data for 2008 Figure 2: Trends in generation of municipal waste, national productivity and consumption 8

19 Managed MSW (millions t) Managed MSW (millions t) Municipal waste outlook The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) were commissioned by the EPA under its research programme to design and build a Sustainable Development Model for Ireland (ISus) 20 that will forecast national environmental emissions and resource use up to 2025, having regard to economic and social developments. The ISus model is driven by the ERSI s HERMES model, which projects economic production and consumption per sector. The volume of future streams of municipal waste are intricately linked to the performance of the economy and its ability to move out of recession. Using the ISus model, it is possible to project future volumes of managed municipal waste (i.e. excludes uncollected household waste) on the ESRI s Recovery Scenarios for Ireland 21, which projects that the Irish economy will grow quite rapidly in the period on the basis that the world economy recovers by 2010 and that the Irish economy improves its competitiveness position versus its trading partners. The projections for managed municipal waste are plotted in Figure 3, which shows that by 2010 managed municipal waste will have fallen back almost to 2005 levels. Over the period, managed municipal waste is expected to average at roughly 3 million tonnes per annum. Assuming an economic recovery in 2011 and beyond, it is anticipated that the volume of municipal waste will increase by 3 4% per annum. With that level of growth, the total volume of municipal waste to be managed will increase by roughly one million tonnes within 10 years. While there may be sufficient management capacity in the immediate future, the volume of municipal waste is likely to increase quite substantially within the coming decade, necessitating future investment in waste management infrastructure. In the coming years it will be important that waste prevention programmes become embedded, so-as to assist in the decoupling of waste generation in Ireland from the predicted subsequent growth in GDP Current position Year Figure 3: Predicted growth in municipal waste (ISus model 20 ) (excludes uncollected household waste) 20 For further information on the ISus model see Measured Predicted

20 Tonnes per year Number of people 3 MANAGEMENT OF MUNICIPAL WASTE The quantity of municipal waste managed in 2008 (3,103,820 t) is an approximate 2% reduction on that managed in 2007 (3,174,565 t). Disposal and recovery rates for the managed municipal waste streams are shown in Table 3 and Figure 4. The quantity of municipal waste recovered in 2008 increased by 1% on that reported in 2007, while the landfill of municipal waste decreased by a corresponding amount. The recovery rate continues to exceed the national target of 35% recycling by The improvement in recovery rates occurred notwithstanding the significant price drop in the international recyclates market in the latter half of The total managed municipal waste arisings comprised 1,556,879 t of household wastes; 1,477,395 t of commercial wastes and 69,546 t of cleansing wastes. The constituents of the commercial and household waste streams are examined in greater detail later in this section. Table 3: Disposal and recovery of managed municipal waste, 2008 Material Quantity managed 22 Quantity landfilled National landfill rate (%) Quantity recovered National recovery rate (%) Total 3,103, ,938, ,165, (Source: recovery organisations survey, local authority survey, landfill survey and EPA municipal waste composition survey 24 ) Figure 4 illustrates trends in the recovery and disposal of municipal waste, together with population growth over the last 5 years. The trends illustrated in Figure 4 (and Figure 1) suggest a decoupling of the link between increasing municipal waste generation and population growth. Also evident are the decreasing proportion of municipal wastes landfilled and the increasing proportion recovered. Recovery Disposal Population 4,500,000 2,000,000 4,400,000 1,500,000 4,300,000 4,200,000 1,000,000 4,100,000 4,000, ,000 3,900,000 3,800, Year 3,700,000 Figure 4: Trends in recovery and disposal of municipal waste, This total doesn t include estimates of uncollected waste (120,459 t). 23 Includes household & commercial sent to landfill as well as 24,969 t street sweepings, cemeteries and parks waste. 24 See for further details. 10

21 3.1 Waste recovery and recycling The following section presents information on some of the main recyclable streams managed in Ireland, with the data provided by the recovery organisation survey returns. With regard to organic waste, Tables 4 to 7 report on municipal organic waste (i.e. non-municipal wastes reported by recovery organisations such as sludges, animal tissue waste etc., were not included). Note that data on non-municipal organic wastes is captured in Section 8 Industrial Waste. With regard to the other waste streams (wood, plastics etc.), Tables 4 to 7 include an element of non-municipal wastes, such as those derived from C&D and agricultural wastes. Table 4 shows that in 2008, 21.5% of waste recovery took place in Ireland (up from 19.3% in 2007). An increase in the quantity of plastic waste being recycled in Ireland was noted. In 2008, 33% of plastic recovery took place in Ireland, compared to 23% in There are an increasing number of small companies granulating waste plastic in Ireland. A number of these companies have found markets here in Ireland for the plastic granules and the remainder is exported. A total of 596,471 t of paper and cardboard was recovered in Ireland and abroad in 2008, compared to 529,824 t in 2007, an increase of 66,647 t. A small tonnage of refuse derived fuel was used as a fuel (other than in direct incineration) in Ireland during 2008 (previously all had been exported) and it is expected that this tonnage will increase in 2009 and beyond. The substantial reliance on material recovery facilities abroad continues (Table 5). Waste materials are also imported into Ireland for reprocessing. Table 6 shows the quantities of waste exported from and imported into Ireland in In 2008 a total of 87,570 t of waste was reported as imported into Ireland, comprising mainly plastic packaging waste (e.g. plastic bottles) (72%) and mixed metals (22%). Table 7 shows that the United Kingdom continues to be the principal initial destination for recyclable waste (although it is acknowledged that a percentage of what is exported to the UK is subsequently bulked and sent outside UK for treatment). A total of 586,693 t of paper and cardboard was exported in 2008 for reprocessing, predominantly to Europe (71%) and Asia (16% including China, India, Indonesia and Pakistan). A total of 641,244 t of metal was exported in 2008, mainly to Spain and Portugal (57%) and to the UK (36%). As in 2007, refuse derived fuel was exported to Sweden (90%) and the UK (10%). As in previous years, a certain proportion of Irish recyclable waste exported to other EU countries is bulked before shipping onwards to countries within and outside the EU. In 2007, a Market Development Programme (MDP) for Waste Resources was published by the DEHLG. The implementation of the MDP, which commenced in 2008 and was formally launched in 2009, aims to develop existing markets for recyclables and identify new applications and markets for recyclables in Ireland. Key issues to be addressed in the MDP include promoting stable demand for recovered materials, supporting the achievement of economies of scale in the production of products made from recycled materials, and the need for more recovery and recycling infrastructure in Ireland to reduce reliance on overseas markets. The waste pre-treatment guidance published by the EPA in should also, in time, contribute to the generation of a stable supply of recyclables to the national market, with a consequent benefit for the recovery and recycling industry. 25 Market Development Programme for Waste Resources , available to download from and See also 26 Municipal Solid Waste Pre-Treatment & Residuals Management: An EPA Technical Guidance Document. EPA,