THE DEPARTMENT OF the Environment has said that incineration has a “role to play” in Ireland, both for treating waste and providing energy.
The controversial issue of incineration has sparked debate and protest across the country for many years. Proponents argue in favour of a move away from landfills and praise the introduction of a non-fossil form of renewable energy – however critics insist that incinerators are ugly, unnecessary, and produce toxic emissions that pose dangers to human health and the environment.
Nevertheless, a discussion document released by the department today, entitled Towards a new National Waste Policy, has classed Ireland’s dependence on landfills as “unacceptably high” and called for more discussion about country’s future waste policy – particularly in relation to “residual waste that cannot be recycled or reused”.
What do you think – does incineration have a role to play in waste management in Ireland?
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