The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy fulfils our commitment in the Programme for Government to publish and start implementing a new National Waste Action Plan. This new national waste policy will inform and give direction to waste planning and management in Ireland over the coming years. It will be followed later this year by an All of Government Circular Economy Strategy.
The previous national waste policy, A Resource Opportunity – Waste management policy in Ireland, drove delivery on national targets under EU legislation, but the Irish and international waste context has changed in the years since its launch. The need to embed climate action in all strands of public policy aligns with the goals of the European Green Deal.
The policy document shifts focus away from waste disposal and moves it back up the production chain. To support the policy, regulation is already being used (Circular Economy Legislative Package) or in the pipeline (Single Use Plastics Directive). The policy document contains over 200 measures across various waste areas including Circular Economy, Municipal Waste, Consumer Protection and Citizen Engagement, Plastics and Packaging, Construction and Demolition, Textiles, Green Public Procurement and Waste Enforcement. A food waste reduction target has been set up and the mandatory separate collection of food waste will be endorsed with the programme.
The new waste action plan and a summary can be downloaded here.