The final report of the EPA-funded ‘Carbon Restore’ project shows that breathing new life into cut-away and degraded boglands would provide climate, biodiversity, water and economic benefits. UCD based Dr David Wilson led the ‘Carbon Restore’ project and it was carried out with the cooperation of Bord na Mona which own much of Ireland’s depleted and degraded peatland.

The EPA research Report shows that:

* Restoring highly degraded peatlands can provide an important sink for carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas driving climate change;

* Restoring peat is possible as proven in a detailed study of a ‘rewetted’ industrial cutaway bog in Bellacorick, Co. Mayo;

* ‘Rewetting’ can be managed so as to take up carbon dioxide and limit the release of other greenhouse gases which can be produced when restoring peatland. 

* Other benefits in water management and biodiversity also accrue.

Laura Burke, EPA Director General, comments: “The report indicates that there is significant potential to using restored industrial peatlands to address climate change and other environmental challenges forIreland. Climate change is a pressing issue that requires long term strategic responses, including in the management of land use. This research also presents us with a vision of effective management of cutaway peatlands. Lands previously thought of as having little or no economic value are potentially valuable resources if subject to appropriate long term management.”

The report demonstrates that the need to address climate change means that peatland, and particularly degraded peatland, may have a new economic future.  Almost 13 per cent of Ireland’s land cover is peatlands, unique ecosystems that contribute to biodiversity and water management and function as major carbon stores.

Ireland is well advanced in achieving most of the EU waste recovery and recycling targets, with the exception of end of life vehicle targets, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Waste Report 2010.

The economic downturn is having a marked influence on municipal waste generation, which has decreased by 16 per cent since it peaked in 2007. The quantity of household waste collected for treatment fell by 5 per cent in spite of an increase in population. The recovery rate for packaging waste increased to 74 per cent.

The main findings of the report were that in 2010:
* Municipal waste generation fell by 3.6 per cent compared to 2009.

* Household waste recovery increased by 11 per cent compared to 2009.

* Household waste collected for treatment fell by 5 per cent and commercial waste collected fell by 12 per cent compared to 2009.

* Municipal waste recycling achieved a rate of 38 per cent, a 3 per cent increase compared to 2009, and close to the EU27 norm of 40 per cent.

* Ireland met its 2010 EU Landfill Directive target for diversion of biodegradable municipal waste from landfill.

* A recovery rate of 74 per cent was achieved for packaging waste, exceeding the EU target of 60 per cent by 2011.

* Ireland is failing to meet the End of Life Vehicle Directive targets for reuse, recovery and recycling of vehicles and their components.

* 29 per cent of occupied houses do not participate in, or are not offered, a waste collection service.

* At current fill rates, 15 of the 28 currently active municipal solid waste landfills in Ireland will close in the next three years. There is a remaining national landfill capacity of 12 years.

* Use of waste as an energy fuel grew by 20 per cent from 2009 figures to 183,000 tonnes in 2010.

EPA director general Laura Burke comments: “There has been a significant reduction in the amount of municipal waste generated in Ireland, from a peak of almost 3.4 million tonnes in 2007, to less than 2.9 million tonnes in 2010. The economic downturn is continuing to have a marked influence on waste generation, particularly in the commercial waste and construction and demolition waste streams. When the economy begins to improve, it is important that we decouple waste generation from economic growth.”

Ireland is making good progress towards achieving its EU targets in areas such as packaging waste, waste electrical goods and batteries. “While Ireland has met its 2010 target for the diversion of biodegradable waste from landfill, the more stringent EU targets coming into effect in 2013 and 2016 under the Landfill Directive will be much harder to achieve and will require continued investment in the infrastructure needed to treat biodegradable waste,” she points out.

Priority actions identified in the EPA report were:

* Policies and actions necessary to decouple waste growth from economic growth need to be implemented, with waste prevention at their core;

* Continued support for resource efficiency and conservation initiatives in relation to waste, water and energy is required to deliver reduced costs for public and private enterprises and reduced impacts on the environment;

* Diversion of very large quantities of food waste from landfill remains a key priority that must be addressed if Ireland is to comply with the Landfill Directive;

* State policy to require householders to avail of a collection service will help address problems associated with large number of households not availing of such a service;

* Action needs to be undertaken to improve the reuse, recovery and recycling rates for End of Life Vehicles to ensure that Ireland complies with the relevant EU targets.

The EPA has published information on Ireland’s position in relation to meeting its 2010 obligations under the National Emissions Ceilings Directive (NEC Directive). The figures show the trends for four key air pollutants over the period 1990 to 2010. These pollutants are sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOC) and ammonia (NH3) and they are responsible for long-range transboundary air pollution such as acidification, eutrophication and ground-level ozone pollution.

The European Community, through the NEC Directive, limits emissions of these four pollutants by 2010 and each year thereafter, through country specific national ceilings. These provisional figures for 2010 were recently reported to the European Commission by the EPA. The figures will be finalised in December 2012  and thereafter, the European Commission will assess Ireland’s compliance under the NEC Directive.

This latest information from the EPA shows levels of sulphur dioxide, volatile organic compounds and ammonia were below the 2010 emission ceilings. Reductions in these three pollutants have been achieved through a diverse range of measures including effective licencing and enforcement by the EPA, stricter regulation of VOC emissions from vehicles and declining animal numbers in the agriculture sector.

There has been a significant reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions over the period 1990 to 2010. However, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions continue to pose a challenge with emission levels 7.6 ktonnes above the 2010 limit. Although reductions in NOx levels from the transport sector have been delivered through technological improvements these have not been as substantial as originally anticipated. Advances in emission controls have been largely off-set by large increases in vehicle numbers and fuel use during a time of significant economic growth over the period 1990 to 2008.

Laura Burke, director general of EPA, comments: ”Emissions of sulphur dioxide, volatile organic compounds and ammonia are below the 2010 emission ceilings. However, in spite of substantial reductions, nitrogen oxide emissions continue to pose the greatest challenge with these latest figures showing that Ireland is exceeding its 2010 limit. Limiting nitrogen oxide emissions, in particular from the transport sector, with cost-efficient and feasible measures in future years will be challenging.”

The agriculture sector accounts for 98 per cent of ammonia (NH3). NH3 emissions are 9.8 ktonnes below the 2010 ceiling which is a positive outcome in terms of meeting obligations under the NEC Directive. However, limiting and reducing NH3 emissions into the future could be problematic given the strong performance of the agriculture sector in line with the ambitious targets of Food Harvest 2020.

The NEC report is available to download from the EPA website at http://www.epa.ie/downloads/pubs/air/airemissions/

Provisional greenhouse gas emissions figures released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) include trends since 1990, and show Ireland’s status in meeting our obligations set under the Kyoto Protocol. Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions fell by 0.69 million tonnes (1.1%) in 2010.

Agriculture remains the single largest contributor to overall emissions, at 30.4% of the total, followed by Energy (primarily power generation) and Transport at 21.7% and 19.1%  respectively. The remainder is made up by the Industry and Commercial at 14.9%, the Residential sector at 12.6% and Waste at 1.5%.

The figures show that, while Ireland’s Kyoto limit in the period 2008-2012 is 62.84 million tonnes per annum, Ireland’s combined emissions in 2008, 2009 and 2010 were 6.65 million tonnes above this limit when the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and approved Forest Sinks are taken into account. Taking unused allowances from the ETS into account, Ireland is on track to meet its Kyoto commitment.

”The reduction in Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions is welcome, particularly the continued reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector,” comments Laura Burke, director of EPA. “Ireland is on track to meet our emission limits for 2008-2012 under the Kyoto Protocol. However in order to meet the very stringent EU 2020 limits and to move permanently to a low carbon economy, new policies are required to be identified, assessed, adopted and implemented.”

Dr Eimear Cotter, senior manager at EPA, says: :”Emission reductions have been recorded across Transport and Waste with all other sectors showing an increase on 2009 levels. This is despite the economy contracting in 2010 and highlights the challenge we are facing in meeting our emission reduction targets.”

Changes to Sectoral Emissions

The emissions from agriculture increased by 0.04 million tonnes (0.2%) in 2010. This is the first increase in this sector since 2003. The increase in emissions reflects primarily a large increase in fertiliser sales as well as an increase in gas oil use on farms. Declining trends in total cattle numbers and sheep continue in 2010 while swine numbers have increased relative to 2009.

Emissions related to energy are calculated based on SEAI’s annual energy balance and for 2010 were 0.25 million tonnes higher than in 2009 which represents a 1.9% increase. This reflects a reduction in the share of renewables in gross electricity consumption from 14.3% in 2009 to 12.9% in 2010. Wind and hydro resources were less in 2010 which resulted in more electricity generation from coal and gas-fired power stations.

Transport emissions were 1.32 million tonnes lower in 2010 than in 2009. This represents a decrease of 10.1%, following sustained increases in this sector since 1990. The decrease primarily reflects the impact of the economic downturn plus the changes in vehicle registration tax and road tax introduced in mid-2008 and the Biofuels Obligation Scheme. Emissions in 2010 were 131% higher than the 1990 transport emissions.

Industry and commercial emissions increased by 0.1 million tonnes (1.1%) in 2010. This reflects an increase in CO2 emissions from the alumina industry which is offset, to some extent, by the continuing decline in cement production. In particular, returns from the EU Emissions Trading Scheme show emissions from the cement sector peaked in 2007 and have decreased by 55% between 2007 and 2010.

Residential emissions in 2010 increased by 0.32 million tonnes (4.4%) from the 2009 level. This reflects an increase in fossil fuel use from households due to a considerably colder and longer heating season in 2010.

Waste emissions show a decrease of 0.07 million tonnes (6.9%) below the 2009 level which reflects increased methane utilisation for electricity production relative to 2009. Landfill gas utilisation and on-site flaring offset over 70% of methane production in 2010.

The Government has decided to appoint Laura Burke as the new director general of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  She succeeds Dr Mary Kelly, who took up a new role as chairperson of An Bord Pleanála in August 2011. 

Laura Burke as the new director general of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Laura Burke has been a director of the EPA since 2004, initially serving as the agency’s director of communications and corporate services and more recently as director of the Office of Climate, Licensing, Research and Resource Use. Prior to joining the EPA, she worked in the private sector. She is a graduate chemical engineer of University College Dublin and holds an MSc from Trinity College, Dublin.

Ireland is well advanced in achieving most of the EU waste recovery and recycling targets, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Waste Report 2009. However, the report urges continued efforts to divert biodegradable waste from landfill, improve the penetration of source separated waste collection services (3 bin), and prevent waste arisings from all sectors of society.

In 2009, municipal waste generation in Ireland fell by a further 8.4% following a 5% reduction the previous year. These changes are in line with reductions in GDP and personal consumption levels. The amount of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled fell by 11%, leaving Ireland within 143,000 tonnes of meeting its EU Landfill Directive diversion target for 2010. Household waste generation fell by 3% in spite of an increase in population; 70% of packaging waste was recovered and there was a decrease of 62% in construction and demolition waste.

Laura Burke, director of the EPA’s Office of Climate Change, Licensing and Resource Use.

“There has been a significant reduction in the amount of municipal waste generated in Ireland, from a peak of almost 3.4 million tonnes in 2007, to less than 3 million tonnes in 2009. The economic downturn is having a marked effect on waste generation, particularly in the commercial waste and construction and demolition waste streams. Ireland is also making good progress towards achieving its EU targets for packaging waste, waste electrical goods, the first objectives under the Landfill Directive and also objectives under the new Waste Framework Directive,” comments Laura Burke, director of the EPA’s Office of Climate Change, Licensing and Resource Use.

“While the reductions in waste generation and the improvements in recovery seen in 2009 are welcome, we must continue to focus on resource efficiency to ensure that when economic growth does return, it is not accompanied by a surge in waste generation,” she adds.

Significant progress has been made in managing municipal waste in Ireland and the report clearly shows that Ireland is expected to meet a key EU target for diverting biodegradable municipal waste from landfill in 2010. However, the targets for 2013 and 2016 will be more difficult to achieve. Urgent and sustained actions are required if Ireland is to meet these EU targets, including the further roll-out of source-segregated collections, recovery of organic waste and development of infrastructure for the pre-treatment of municipal waste prior to disposal.

The EPA has published guidance on municipal waste pre-treatment and has reviewed all the municipal waste landfill licences in Ireland to include appropriate pre-treatment licence conditions. This will greatly assist in Ireland’s compliance efforts with the Landfill Directive by restricting the amount of biodegradable municipal waste allowed to be landfilled.

However, further priority actions for biodegradable municipal waste management in Ireland are recommended in the report. They include the need to:

* Ensure there is adequate infrastructure to treat the very large quantities of organic (particularly food) waste that must be collected separately and diverted from landfill and also for the organic component of the mixed residual waste stream;

* Develop outlets for the products of such treatment;

* Update and clarify national waste policy;

* Promote food waste prevention through National Waste Prevention Programme initiatives;

* Put in place services for the separate collection of organic (particularly food) waste at households and commercial premises in all local authority functional areas;
Improve penetration of educational material to households on the use of the third (organics) bin and,

* Formulate and implement regulations/bye-laws that can be used to require the segregation and separate collection of food waste at household premises.

Laura Burke continues: “The new EU Waste Framework Directive, which came into effect in December 2010, will be a significant influence and driver of change in waste management practices and governance in Ireland and elsewhere over the coming decade. In line with EU objectives, the EPA’s National Waste Prevention Programme focuses on breaking the link between economic growth and waste. Through this programme the EPA is developing waste prevention and resource efficiency capacity in the areas of waste and water in particular. Such actions can assist everyone, in households and businesses alike, to improve resource efficiency and significantly cut costs.”

A recent study by Trinity College, Dublin has found that pollution emissions from licensed industry have fallen due to regulation. Between 2001 and 2007 there were aggregate pollution reductions of 22% for the chemical sector, 28% for the food and drink sector, 40% for the pharmaceutical sector and 45% for the power generation sector.

The project analysed annual emissions data submitted to the EPA by licensed industrial installations in accordance with the requirements of Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) regulation. The study found that whilst EU member states were given a 2007 deadline for full implementation of IPPC regulation, Ireland’s EPA had implemented similar regulation through its Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) licensing system since 1994. The extended experience with integrated (IPC and IPPC) licensing in Ireland provides a useful insight into the effectiveness of such regulation for Irish industry and policy-makers as well as for other EU countries.

Lead researcher David Styles at Trinity College, Dublin, comments: “What gets measured gets improved. Licensing has led to the measurement of key environmental performance parameters, and generated the evidence base required for any form of effective regulation.”

Pharmaceutical Sector

An example of the value of this extended experience is shown in the report’s analysis of the pharma (pharmaceutical) sector which indicates that integrated licensing is a highly effective and efficient driver of pollution reduction. Between 1995 and 2007 pollution output decreased by 59%, dominated by large reductions in emissions of sulphur oxides, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides to air, and heavy metals to water – however, emissions of carbon dioxide increased. Meanwhile, the aggregate tonnage of pharma production was estimated to have increased by 70%.

EPA director Laura Burke.

As part of the study, industry indicated that direct regulation under integrated licensing was the largest single driver of emission reductions, contributing more than voluntary regulation and corporate responsibility actions.

David Styles adds: “The economic benefit of avoided pollution was over double the emission control cost imposed on the pharma companies. The pharma sector is well financed and highly compliant with integrated licensing. Emission levels are generally below targets, and continuous improvements appear to be driven by anticipation of future emission limits, a focus on annual reporting and targets set in environmental management programmes. For sectors that are less financially secure and compliant, targets may be more challenging – additional research is required to assess the impact of integrated licensing on such sectors.”

The study was funded under the Environmental Protection Agency’s STRIVE Research Programme 2007- 2013.

“There is considerable debate about the efficiency of statutory regulation compared with alternative approaches to pollution control – particularly voluntary regulation and the use of economic instruments. Integrated licensing is demonstrably the best approach to industrial pollution control,” points out EPA director Laura Burke. “This report highlights the value of continued high quality environmental research to aid in the ongoing assessment of the impact of environmental policy and regulation in Ireland.”

The full report, entitled Emissions from IPPC Industry: Quantifying Pollution Trends and Regulatory Effectiveness is available on the EPA website at www.epa.ie/downloads/pubs/research/waste/ERC_16_Styles_IPPCEmissions_web.pdf.