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.

The EPA conceded that the increased amount of waste was “disappointing”, but said a positive fact was that a greater percentage of it was now being recycled.

In 2002, 79% of all collected waste was disposed of in landfills, with just 21% recycled. Last year, however, 28% was recycled.

The EPA said that “significant progress” was clearly being made towards the national target of 35% of all waste being recycled by 2013.

“There has been a great response in the last three years or so from the general public and the business sector in recycling waste and keeping it out of landfills,” said EPA programme manager, Dr Gerry Byrne.

“The remarkable growth rates in recycling year-on-year show that measures introduced into national policy are working.”

However, Ireland’s waste targets lag behind those of several of its European neighbours.

While this country aims for 35% of its waste to be recycled by 2013, Denmark is hoping 64% of its waste this year will be recovered.

In addition, although Irish recycling rates are increasing steadily, the country continues to rely on others to help manage its waste problem.

In 2003, 69% of waste recovery took place abroad, highlighting the “continuing dependence on foreign recycling facilities and markets”, the EPA said.

While the organisation acknowledged that the 10% growth in waste generated was “a disappointing finding”, it partly attributed the increase to better reporting.

“It is evident that the accuracy of waste reporting is increasing, as the benefits of improved regulation of the waste collection sector begin to show, and this potentially explains part of this large increase,” the EPA said.

Population increases, boosted by immigration, were also a factor.

But the EPA said it could not predict whether the new pay-by-weight refuse system, which comes into effect on January 1, will help bring about a reduction in the amount of waste generated.

Recycling information can be obtained from your local authority or from the www.raceagainstwaste.ie website.