Environmental protection - Food plan needs a full assessment

Yesterday’s European Commission report on waste management which ranked Ireland 15th out of 27 member states was another indication that we have yet to make the connection between our treatment of the environment and our responsibilities to the future.

The report considers how much waste is recycled and infringements of European legislation. Failings include poor or non-existent waste prevention policies; a lack of incentives to divert waste from landfills; and inadequate infrastructure.

Even at this low point this is an indictment we should not be proud of but, unfortunately, the findings are unlikely to provoke the kind of positive cultural changes needed to move us from the middle of the commission table to a more acceptable rating.