Waste from homes and businesses up 10%

HOUSEHOLDS and businesses generated a staggering three million tonnes of waste in 2003, 10% more than the previous year, a new report has shown.

It was the first time the waste generation figure has exceeded the three-million barrier.

In total, 3,001,016 tonnes of municipal waste were created last year, compared with 2,723,739 in 2002. The findings were contained in the National Waste Database Interim Report 2003, published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday.