CONFIDENCE has been expressed by Clare’s councillors that recycling centres in the county are in line for an upgrade.
Regional Public Waste Infrastructure Managers are due to be appointed in Clare following a report by the Department of the Environment which analysed the function and financing of recycling centres and facilities across the country.
In a proposal before the County Council, Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF) requested the local authority “to upgrade all their recycling centres to recycling and transfer stations, like what we currently have in operation in Scariff”.
Senior engineer with the Council, Cyril Feeney acknowledged that the five facilities in the county, two of which are recycling centres and three are waste transfer stations “play a significant role in waste management in County Clare. The Waste Transfer Stations are designed in particular to cater for waste streams outside current kerbside collection systems such as hazardous, WEEE, wood, metals, paints, green waste etc. They also complement, and in some instances provide an alternative option to kerbside collection of household wastes. The Recycling Centres and Transfer Stations have evolved to changing circumstances such as privatised waste management, changing waste compositions, circular economy considerations and legislative changes”.
This level of change prompted the Department of Environment, Climate & Communications to commission analysing the function and financing of the facilities.
Feeney noted, “This national report by the regional waste management planning offices focused on the operations at 30 of the 96 local authority Recycling Centres and Waste Transfer Stations and the long-term sustainability of their operations. The report recommends the appointments of Regional Public Waste Infrastructure Managers (RPWIM) to oversee the integration of this public recycling and waste infrastructure.
“Among the recommendations are to designate Recycling Centres / Transfer Stations following a service hierarchy and set of standards to ensure appropriate national coverage of the various services provided by the sites on a regional basis. We are currently awaiting the appointment of the RPWIM which will inform the next steps to be taken in the designation/integration of Recycling Centres and Waste Transfer Stations in County Clare”.
Speaking at Monday’s Council meeting, Cllr O’Gorman referenced that a difference exists on the type of recycling centres in the county. He pointed out that three mattresses were illegally dumped in Meelick recently but if they had been brought to the recycling centre in Shannon that “they would have been turned away” which he disagreed with.
Seconding the proposal, Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) commented, “The Shannon facility is always busy, bringing everything to the one place as a one stop shop would be fantastic and it would help reduce the dumping that is going on”. Cllr John Crowe (FG) observed, “We have an excellent facility in Shannon. We have a major problem with dumping in our area”.
Illegal dumping in South Clare has “become such a prevalent issue,” remarked Cllr Rachel Hartigan (FF), “Having more facilities there for people to dump their waste legally and safely is very important”.
Mayor of Clare, Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) was in favour of bringing the five facilities “up to a level where they can accept everything to which Cllr O’Gorman replied, “I have a good feeling that it might happen”.
