Incineration an option, says expert

Ireland is about 20 years behind most of Europe "and doesn't know it", in terms of reducing waste at source and using innovative recycling of biodegradable waste, according to Prof Emer Colleran of NUI Galway.

Most countries have adopted "source separation" of waste, such as in the household or factory where it is generated. Paper, plastic, glass, food/gardening waste and so on were separated out. Finland and Austria recently passed laws making this mandatory. "We have 20 years of catching-up to do. We have not even begun to accept this is necessary."

Denmark incinerated most of its waste, in tandem with having highly innovative and energy-efficient recycling of its biodegradable wastes, including the use of anaerobic digestion technology. This technique - whereby waste is disposed of without using oxygen - generates methane gas. This, in turn, is used for generating heat and electricity. Sweden was able to place incinerators in the middle of housing estates, she said. She had reservations about incineration but accepted that many national waste reduction strategies involved its use, although Ireland does not undertake significant incineration. She is an authority on anaerobic digestion of biodegradable material, which makes up about 30 per cent of municipal solid waste (MSW). But given current MSW volumes in Ireland, incineration had to be considered as an option despite creating its own solid and liquid wastes, she said.

Critical decisions on the management of Dublin's waste management crisis will be deferred until after next year's local elections, predicted Mr Ben Colgan of Rush Action Group for the Environment. It is attempting to force the closure of Balleally dump which handles some 65 per cent of Dublin's waste. It is beside an estuary, is not sealed to control leachate discharge and its waste mountain is set to rise to 40 metres above sea level, he claimed.

A decision on an alternative, such as at nearby Tooman, and on the location of an incinerator for the city would be deferred because they are such sensitive issues, he said. In the meantime, most of up to 700 plastic bags left outside Government buildings in the city daily would continue to end up at Balleally, the group fears.