Firms proactive in green planning

COMPANIES’ waste management programme costs have increased by 31%, placing environmental planning high on the corporate agenda, a Deloitte & Touche survey reveals.

D&L's partner in charge of energy and resources group Ger O'Mahoney said firms are getting proactive in their environmental planning.

"Nominating a full-time resource to manage your environmental planning is key to any cost savings. We have certainly seen an increase in knowledge levels and resource allocation 73% of those surveyed have an environmental manager, and almost half of those are full time," he added.

The survey, among Ireland's top 500 businesses, showed they have experienced cost increases of more than 50% over the last two years, averaged out at 31%, with the pharmaceutical industry worst-hit with average increases of 46%.

Frank Coombes, the director of corporate finance who heads the waste management sector for

Deloitte said: "the lack of infrastructure is a significant issue for the waste management service providers, with almost a third of companies surveyed believing their biggest challenge is to find a disposal route for the waste or a market for the recycled material."

The survey found the private sector is willing to invest to improve its waste management infrastructure, with 78% of companies planning to expand in the next 12 months.

However, they believe their biggest deterrent is the long laborious process in obtaining planning and licensing.

"The increased awareness, the increasing regulatory regime and the introduction of new technology provide many opportunities for waste management companies.

"Furthermore, many of the small to medium-size operators feel they need to invest in expansion in order to survive and/or comply with legislation.

"The climate needs to be created to allow these opportunities and change to take place, and to do this, the planning and licensing process needs to be reviewed so that the time to market for new infrastructure is shortened," said Mr Coombes.