Mayo poised to tackle significant waste challenges

Mayo County Council is set to adopt Ireland's first National Waste Management Plan for a Circular Economy being launched later today at the Gardens International in Limerick.

This plan aims to tackle the significant waste challenges faced in Ireland and provides a new framework for the prevention and management of waste from 2024 to 2030.

“As a nation, we’ve seen a significant increase in the amount of waste generated each year and it’s having a dramatic impact on our environment, our climate and our natural resources,” Kevin Swift, Regional Waste Co-ordinator Connacht Ulster.

“Last year alone we collected over 13 and a half million tonnes of waste – or over 2 tonnes per person. That’s the equivalent weight of two cars! This cannot continue.

"We urgently need a new approach, and this plan provides a roadmap for how we can produce less waste and become more circular by repairing, reusing, and recycling more.”

How much waste are we currently generating?

•3.2 million tonnes of municipal waste was generated in Ireland in 2021. That’s equivalent to 644kg per person. The European average is 527kg per person.

•41% of waste in Ireland is currently recycled versus a current European Union target of 50% with an increased target of 55% by 2025 and 60% by 2030

•753,00 tonnes of food waste was generated in Ireland in 2021. The target is to halve this waste by 2030.

•1.2 million tonnes of packaging waste was generated in Ireland in 2021 with 58% recycled compared to the European Union target of 55% however only 28% of plastic packaging was recycled with a target of 50% by 2025.

•An estimated 170,000 tonnes of textile waste is generated in Ireland per year. This equates to 35 kg per person per year – or three and a half carry on airline bags.

The National Waste Management Plan for a Circular Economy and the Circular Economy Act propose a range of policy interventions that will contribute to the prevention of waste and the increase of recycling rates.

Key measures already introduced by Government include incentivised charging for commercial waste, the roll out of food and garden waste bins to all households, the deposit return scheme and new or increased levies on waste recovery and landfill activities.

The plan sets out an ambitious target of 0% waste growth per person.

This means the amount of waste generated for each person is not going to increase above existing levels.

This equates to an effective 7-10% reduction in predicted waste generation by 2030.

The plan places an emphasis on waste reduction from commercial activities and the construction and demolition sector and identifies 16 focus areas with 85 priority actions.

The plan also aims to encourage sustainable consumption, with proposals for more awareness campaigns, education programmes, demonstration projects, as well as promoting the correct use of collection bins, be it at home or at work.

“It’s anticipated that the combined effect of these interventions will prevent 300,000 tonnes of waste over the life of this Plan and increase the recycling rate by up to 9%,” said Mr. Swift.

“It’s also really important that we become more creative with the waste we do produce and look at innovative ways to encourage recycling such as the Deposit Return Scheme,” he added.

The private waste sector in Ireland is valued at over €1.4 billion and provides employment for approximately 10,000 people.

The total Local Authority expenditure on waste functions exceeds €280 million annually and involves over 1700 people.

The scale of the financial and human commitment to waste services is large, yet the plan highlights that the transition to a circular economy will require additional State investment of at least €40 million to achieve the desired outcomes.

The National Waste Management Plan for a Circular Economy is replacing the existing Regional Waste Management Plans and will be managed by the three Regional Waste Management Planning Lead Authorities on behalf of the Local Government Sector.

“Waste Management in Ireland began almost 30 years ago, but the challenges we now face have changed significantly,” said Mr Swift.

“We have therefore adapted our approach and created a more holistic plan built on collaboration with key partners and all stakeholders to achieve the plan ambition and accelerate the transition to a more circular economy.

"This plan is the culmination of two years of engagement between key partners and all stakeholders including the Government, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), industry, NGOs and local communities. But it doesn’t stop here. It’s vital we continue this collaboration, as we all have a part to play in creating a circular economy to maintain and improve sustainability” he added.