Doolan calls for 80% recycling by 2010
Sinn Féin’s Dublin Spokesperson on the Environment & Dublin South East
Representative, Councillor Daithí Doolan, today called for, “a target of
80% recycling by 2010 to be set."
Speaking in Dublin
today, Cllr. Doolan said:
"No one doubts that we face a waste
management crisis here in Ireland. Unfortunately a consensus has formed in
local government management around the impracticality of recycling and in
favour of incineration. This is despite international evidence to the
contrary and the fact that recycling saves 3 to 5 times more energy than
incineration. Recycling, as part of an overall strategy, has proven
successful across the globe in the battle against waste.
“If we
are to avoid sending Dublin down the expensive, unpopular route of
incineration, imagination and leadership needs to be shown and standards
set. In 2007 all landfills here in Dublin will be closed. We need to stop
depending on landfill and incineration before the crisis becomes a
catastrophe, so action needs to be taken now. Therefore I am calling for
the setting up of an all Ireland Zero Waste Agency to oversee the
transition from the current simplistic focus on waste disposal and to a
more practical vision of reduction, reusing and recycling. This agency
would be charged with delivering two immediate targets, of 50% recycling
by 2007 & 80% recycling by 2010. The agency would be funded through the
savings made on landfill and the money that is currently ear marked for
the construction of incinerators.”
The Zero Waste Agency
would have five prime functions:
-
A zero waste tendering programme: aim to bring forward & provide finance, advice & support for entrepreneurs.
-
A waste academy: to develop the new trades & professions required by waste minimisation.
-
A recycling price guarantee: which would underwrite material revenues for local enterprise based projects.
-
A new secondary material industries & technologies initiative: specialists from relevant industrial sectors to link between expanded recycling programmes and new industry.
-
Waste minimisation advisory services & Development finance: the task would be to promote ecological production through support for zero waste advisory services
In conclusion Cllr. Doolan, demanded , “that increasing the rate of
recycling should now be the priority for Dublin local authorities and not
the imposition of incineration on our communities.”