Household Hazardous Waste

Hazardous Waste Management in Ireland

Hazardous waste is generated by all sectors of Irish society, from large industry, to small businesses, households, schools and farms. It is for the most part managed by a professional hazardous waste industry and is treated appropriately and in accordance with legal requirements. Large quantities of hazardous waste are generated, and there is scope to reduce this generation of waste through waste prevention programmes. Around half of Irish hazardous waste is exported for treatment. There are some problems with so-called 'unreported' hazardous waste in Ireland, where small amounts of consumer hazardous waste are produced in households and small businesses and are inappropriately managed. The Environmental Protection Agency has prepared a National Hazardous Waste Management Plan to map out the improvements in hazardous waste management that could and/or should be made over the next five years.

National Hazardous Waste Management Plan

The Environmental Protection Agency published a National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2008-2012 on 15 September 2008. The Plan describes the national system for hazardous waste management and identifies gaps and recommends actions to ensure all hazardous waste is collected and managed appropriately and in a manner that does not cause environmental pollution. A total of 29 recommendations are made in the Plan. The link below shows the National Hazardous Waste Management Plan: http://www.epa.ie/downloads/pubs/waste/haz/name,25129,en.html

Collection of batteries and waste electrical and electronic equipment

There are two compliance schemes WEEE Ireland and ERP Ireland who have responsibility for dealing with different local authority areas in relation to collections of weee and consumer batteries. You may have seen some notices of collection days that they organise or have seen the battery collection boxes that they provide for retailers and other outlets . They also do work with schools (see weblinks attached) Their websites give good information on what they do: http://www.weeeireland.ie/and also http://www.erp-recycling.ie/index.php?content=108

Limerick County Council have compiled 'A householder's guide to hazardous waste prevention' see: www.managewaste.ie

Treatment of Hazardous Waste