Hazardous waste is generated by all sectors of Irish society, from large industry, to small businesses, households, schools and farms. It is for the most part managed by a professional hazardous waste industry and is treated appropriately and in accordance with legal requirements. Large quantities of hazardous waste are generated, and there is scope to reduce this generation of waste through waste prevention programmes. Around half of Irish hazardous waste is exported for treatment. There are some problems with so-called 'unreported' hazardous waste in Ireland, where small amounts of consumer hazardous waste are produced in households and small businesses and are inappropriately managed. The Environmental Protection Agency has prepared a National Hazardous Waste Management Plan to map out the improvements in hazardous waste management that could and/or should be made over the next five years.
The Environmental Protection Agency published a National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2008-2012 on 15 September 2008. The Plan describes the national system for hazardous waste management and identifies gaps and recommends actions to ensure all hazardous waste is collected and managed appropriately and in a manner that does not cause environmental pollution. A total of 29 recommendations are made in the Plan.
Download the National Hazardous Waste Management Plan
A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) was carried out on the Plan during its preparation. An SEA Statement has now been prepared and this summarises how the SEA process was taken into account and influenced the making of the National Hazardous Waste Management Plan. An Environmental Report was published in November 2007 for public consultation (see below for download).
Download the SEA Statement
The EPA will oversee and monitor the Plan's implementation and will take responsibility for implementing a number of recommendations. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, local authorities and several other public bodies have also been assigned responsibilities under the Plan. The following summarises the Plan's main recommendations.
A prevention programme to reduce the gross generation of hazardous waste in certain priority industrial sectors and in households will be undertaken by the EPA under the Natinal Waste Prevention Programme.
A comprehensive and accessible network of local drop-off facilities for householders and small businesses is recommended to tackle the problem of 'unreported' hazardous waste. Certain commercial sectors are highlighted for priority attention, principally garages and farms, the source of relatively large amounts of 'unreported' hazardous waste. The EPA will take concrete steps to develop solutions with these sectors, in consultation with stakeholders, and to focus enforcement efforts.
A policy of moving towards self-sufficiency is recommended. Of the hazardous waste exported, a proportion could be dealt with in Ireland at existing authorised facilities and in cement kilns.
Over 95% of contaminated soil removed from contaminated sites in 2008 was exported for treatment, representing a loss of a valuable resource. More treatment of contaminated soil in Ireland is recommened to ensure that treated soil is available here for engineering purposes.
The management of old waste disposal sites, including those that to a significant extent involved the disposal of hazardous waste, are to be managed according to an existing code of practice drawn up by the EPA's Office of Environmental Enforcement.
With the easing of restrictions in United Kingdom policy for the movement of hazardous waste for disposal between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, an all-island market for hazardous waste disposal is now possible. An all-island market for hazardous waste recovery has existed for some time. Proposals for hazardous waste disposal infrastructure should take all-island considerations into account for capacity planning purposes.
Each of 29 recommendations in the Plan has a timeline and responsible body identified. The principal implementing bodies will be the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, and local authorities.
Periodic reports on the Plan's implementation will be prepared by the EPA with the input of the National Waste Prevention Committee (read more about the NWPC at http://www.epa.ie/whatwedo/resource/nwpp/about).
The National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2008-2012 is published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in accordance with section 26 of the Waste Management Acts, 1996 to 2008.
Two periods of public consultation took place in 2006 and 2007/8 during the Plan's preparation. The general public and interested parties were invited to make written submissions and these were considered in finalising and adopting the Plan. Over 90 submissions were made during the Plan's preparation. A summary of the submissions is given in the National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2008-2012.
Download the National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2008-2012 (September 2008).
Download the Strategic Environmental Assessment Statement (September 2008).
Public consultation period was open between 7 November 2007 and 31 January 2008. The following documents were available.
Download the Proposed National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2008-2012.
Download the Executive Summary of the Proposed National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2008-2012
Download the Environmental Report relating to the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Proposed National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2008-2012
Download the Appendices to the Environmental Report relating to the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Proposed National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2008-2012
Download the Presentation made at the information session which took place on 15th November, 2007 at the Heritage Hotel, Portlaoise, Co. Laois.
Download the first National Hazardous Waste Management Plan (2001)
Download the Annual Report of the Implementation Committee for the first National Hazardous Waste Management Plan (2004)
Learn about the EU/Life HAZRED Project, which aims to help small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to prevent and reduce their production of hazardous wastes, and save them money in the process
Find out more about SEA - Strategic Environment Assessment
