Irish Examiner - 06/05/05
Current policies won’t solve waste problem

THE recent defence of Ireland’s track record on waste disposal by Environment Minister Dick Roche left a lot to be desired.

We have a waste management problem not because we do not have incineration, but because of mismanagement of the waste industry over the last 15 years or so, when many of the relevant EU directives came into force.
There are many approaches to waste management which would produce better results than incineration in the long term.

Unfortunately the Government has presented two solutions: incineration or landfill. The ‘spin’ is that because our dumps are almost full, we must now turn to incineration. We could lead the way in waste management in Europe.

People want to feel they can make a difference, but they can only do so with the support of the Government and local authorities. Its time the Government told the truth about waste management and stopped kowtowing to big business.

Anyone watching the BBC documentary ‘Toxic Burn,’ shown recently, would realise that while mainland Europe has incinerators, it also has huge problems with illegal tipping and dumping. The answer is proper policing, hefty fines and the resources to implement the law rigorously.

Our Government showed its true colours in the last two budgets when it cut the funding to the EPA.

Its time to get off the fence, Mr Roche.

Mary O’Leary Cú Chulainn Place Cobh Co Cork