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| Press Release: Environment 10 January 2006 Links to: All Press Releases 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 Dún Laoghaire, Environment and Justice Press Releases
Greens welcomes progress on recycling but still bottom of European League on waste generation The Green Party has welcomed the publication by the Environmental Protection Agency of National Waste Report 2004. Green Party Environment spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD stated:"We need more options than bury it or burn it. We need to focus on two areas; reduction in the levels of waste we produce and development of an indigenous recycling infrastructure. "Three-quarters of our material for recycling is being exported, and it doesn't make sense to send all this material on a 'slow boat to China.' "The Government should be encouraging recycling here at home by providing more grant-aid for start-up recycling companies. "Ireland is producing more general waste and packaging waste per head than any other country in Europe. We're at the bottom of the league and the Government must do more to reduce the amount of waste produced in the first instance. "In addition, the most recent comparative figures show that our overall recycling levels were second worst in the EU. "I believe that the legislative grounds for tackling waste generation already exist in the Waste Management Act (1996), which allow for the 'prohibiting, or limiting or controlling' of specified containers or other packaging. Initiatives under the act to combat waste generation are overdue and critically important if we are to deal with the current waste crisis. "The queues of cars waiting to get into civic recycling centres at weekends all over the country demonstrate that the public are willing to play their part. What is now needed is the development of a strong and indigenous recycling infrastructure and government initiatives aimed at reducing the level of waste we produce," concluded Deputy Cuffe.
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