SCOTLAND AND IRELAND TO BOOST RECYCLING
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 propotion of mnicipal waste going to landfill
from the present rate of 90% to 30% by 2010. 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 Scottsh 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 pack-aging waste recovery. The regulations force Irish
firms in the packaging chain - but also packaging users such a 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 recycle.
At present, around a third od Irish commercial packaging waste in recycled.
The country's environment expects the new rules will produce a recycling rate
up to 85%