Scotland and Ireland to boost recycling

Archiv – In an attempt to boost the country’s poor recycling performance, Scotland’s parliament has proposed a national waste plan incorporating a series of targets designed to put a stop to rising municipal waste generation by 2010.In an attempt to boost the country’s poor recycling performance, Scotland’s parliament has proposed a national waste plan incorporating a series of targets designed to put a stop to rising municipal waste generation by 2010.
Key goals include a cut in the proportion of municipal waste going to landfill from the present rate of 90% to 30% by 2020. Furthermore, Scotland is seeking to increase recycling of municipal waste to 25% by 2006 and to 55% by 2020, with 35% of waste recycled and 20% composted. The share of municipal waste incinerated with energy recovery should also rise to 14%, according to the plan.
Through the national plan and 11 regional plans, segregated kerbside collections from households will have to rise to 90%. Furthermore, the Scottish Parliament will invest ‘‚¬ 338 million in more sustainable waste management over the next three years.
In Ireland, new rules coming into effect on March 1 were aimed at achieving a major increase in packaging waste recovery. The regulations force Irish firms in the packaging chain – but also packaging users such as pubs, clubs and hotels – to separate commercial packaging waste and have it collected for recycling. The rules close a loophole allowing firms to dump packaging waste if they have made it available for recycling.
At present, around a third of Irish commercial packaging waste is recycled. The country’s environment ministry expects the new rules will produce a recycling rate of up to 85%.