Ireland: May increase garbage disposal fees

Ireland’s Environment Minister John Gormley plans to increase the current £10/t waste treatment fee. Ireland’s cost-raising was mainly influenced by the United Kingdom. Britain’s Gordon Brown said in April that the country’s waste treatment tax will be increased by £8 per tonne from £24, and this measure will be implemented from 2008 and At least until 2010.

Gormley spoke at an environmental policy and management conference attended by nearly 300 delegates and stated that he wanted to implement similar costs in the incineration field. He said: “I don’t know why incineration cannot use the same economic policies as waste disposal. Building large-scale incineration facilities in Ireland may weaken efforts to reduce waste and increase recycling efficiency. Gormley also intends to introduce other regulations. The tax project will enhance people's awareness of environmental protection, and plans to impose tax on "junk food packaging" in 2012.