Description

Since its economic boom in the 1990s Ireland has been
facing ever growing waste arisings. Strict European
legislation forced the country to find alternative
solutions to sole waste disposal on which the country
had been relying on exclusively. The Irish Government
has aimed to decouple waste production from economic
growth. The author doubts that the planned
introduction of thermal treatment facilities would be
an appropriate way to achieve the country s ambitious
targets in terms of waste management. Alternatively
the author introduces a zero waste approach as a
solution to Ireland s waste problems. If a zero waste
approach was applied emphasis would have to be put on
reduction, minimization and recycling. Accordingly,
the country of Ireland would pay its contribution to
world wide challenging environmental protection and
sustainable resource management.