Pay-as-you-throw linked to boom in illegal waste burning

The Irish government made it mandatory for councils in the Republic of Ireland to bring in some form of “pay as you throw” collection system for households at the beginning of this year.

” The nature of illegal waste activity is changing and requires an increasingly sophisticated enforcement response.“
– Dara Lynott, EPA
The new collection systems have been designed to encourage more recycling of household waste, but they have coincided with the introduction of properly functioning waste regulation system in Ireland to bring about increases in charges for householders.

A report on illegal waste activity published by Ireland's Environmental Protection Agency this month said: “Many local authorities have reported recent increases in backyard burning and fly-tipping of household waste which, anecdotally, is being linked to the increases in household waste charges.”

In the UK, the government is considering – as part of its waste strategy review – the introduction of some form of variable charging for household waste (see letsrecycle.com story).

Burning
The practice of backyard burning is defined as “the uncontrolled low temperature burning of waste that releases toxic pollutants directly into the air without treatment or filtering”.

Backyard burning was reported as a significant problem by 80% of Irish local authorities, largely in rural areas. Incidents of backyard burning of commercial waste were also reported, but at a more minor level.

Many local authorities have placed advertisements with local radio stations and in local newspapers indicating that it is an offence to dispose of refuse through backyard burning.

As well as pay-by-weight collections, the report points out that another significant cause for household waste burning is that 21% of homes in Ireland are still not provided with proper waste collection services. This means, it says, that about 287,000 tonnes of household waste is disposed of by householders themselves each year.

Fly-Tipping
Fly-tipping is also described by the report as a “serious problem”, assisted by a rash of illegal waste management companies, while eight of the 25 illegal landfills reported in Ireland were found to contain household waste.

Large volumes of commercial and industrial waste is also being illegally managed in Ireland, driven by rising landfill costs – gate fees at Irish landfills have risen from about 10 euros per tonne in 1996 to as much as 240 euros per tonne in 2004 including landfill tax.

One illegal landfill in Kildare was found to contain 360,000 tonnes of commercial and industrial waste as well as construction and demolition waste.

Dara Lynott, director of the EPA's Office of Environmental Enforcement, said: “As a result of increased enforcement and new legislation, the nature of illegal waste activity is changing and requires an increasingly sophisticated enforcement response.

Northern Ireland
Cross-border dumping of waste from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland – which began in a significant capacity in 2002 – is still taking place, although efforts are being increased to crack down on this.

The Agency report said: “Increased enforcement effort on both sides of the border has made it more difficult to move waste illegally across the Border; however, the (EPA's) Office of Environmental Enforcement is aware that such illegal movement of waste is still taking place.”

Northern Ireland authorities believe tens of thousands of tonnes of waste from the Republic have been dumped across the border, the report said.

Over the past two years, a number of shipments of dry recyclables contravening European transfrontier shipping regulations have been intercepted and returned by competent authorities in Holland and Belgium, the report added.