Waste Management Plan and Regulations
Waste Management Plan
Longford County Council is part of the Eastern Midlands Waste Region (EMWR), along with Westmeath, Laois, Offaly, Dublin City, South Dublin, Fingal, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Wicklow, Louth, Kildare and Meath. The EMWR's Eastern Midlands Region Waste Management Plan provides framework for the prevention and management of waste in a sustainable manner.
Waste Management Byelaws
Waste Management (Segregation, Storage and Presentation of Household and Commercial Waste) Byelaws 2018 regulate how domestic and commercial waste is managed in County Longford in order to help keep the county clean. These byelaws were adopted by Longford County Council on 6 March 2019 and are in accordance with Section 35(1) of the Waste Management Act 1996, Section 199(1) and Part 19 of the Local Government Act 2021.
You can read the Waste Management (Segregation, Storage and Presentation of Household and Commercial Waste) Byelaws 2018 by clicking this link
Click here to view the Waste Management Act 1996
You can view Part 19 of the Local Government Act 2021 by clicking here
Burning of Waste
The Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) Regulations 2009 prohibits the burning of waste within the curtilage of a dwelling. The burning of waste is illegal. This includes the burning of waste in:
- A barrel or exposed heap in a yard or garden
- A purchased ready-made home incinerator
- Burning commercial waste on a business premises or farmyard
- Burning waste on a building site
Burning waste can release many harmful chemicals into the air which are a hazard for peoples’ health and the environment.
Failure to comply with these regulations is an offence and fines of up to €3,000 may be imposed.
To view the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) Regulations 2009 please click here
If you see someone illegally burning waste, report the incident by using our Environmental Complaints Form which you can access here
Packaging
Under the European Union Packaging Regulations 2014, all producers must not supply packaging unless it complies with 'essential requirements' to reduce the environmental impact and avoid over-packaging:
- Packaging weight and volume should be minimised to the amount needed for safety, hygiene and acceptance of the packed product
- Packaging must be recoverable and be suitable for recycling, energy recovery, composting, or reuse
- Levels of specified noxious materials must not exceed 100 parts per million and should have minimum impact on the environment at end of life after recycling or energy recovery
Refer to the Fourth Schedule of the Regulations for more information on the essential requirements.
Click here to view the European Union Packaging Regulations 2014
Plastic Bag Levy
Under the Plastic Bag (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations (S.I. No. 167 of 2007), retailers who supply plastic bags to customers must charge a levy to customers at the point of sale. Currently the levy is 22 cent per shopping bag. Retailers then pay this levy to Revenue.
The levy applies on all plastic bags except plastic shopping bags designed for re-use provided the retailer charges at least 70 cent for the bag.
To view the Plastic Bag (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations (S.I. No. 167 of 2007) please click here
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
Under the Waste Management (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations 2005 all County Longford WEEE retailers or distributors need to register with Longford County Council.
Click here to view the Waste Management (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations 2005
To register with Longford County Council as a WEEE retailers or distributors please click here
Waste Batteries
The European Union (Batteries and Accumulators) Regulations 2014 promote the recycling of waste batteries. Waste batteries should never go in general waste or recycling bins. All waste batteries must be collected and recycled at retail outlets that sell batteries or local authority recycling facilities. This is a free service. No purchase is required in order to return waste batteries.
There are 3 types of batteries that are covered under these regulations:
- Portable batteries (including those found in blister packs used in toys, mobile phones, remote controls, watches)
- Industrial batteries (including those used in forklift trucks, electric pallet trucks, electric vehicles and golf buggies)
- Automotive batteries (ignition batteries in cars, vans, trucks and boats).
Manufacturer, producer, importer and seller of batteries (including those incorporated into equipment, vehicles and other products) in Ireland must comply with the European Union (Batteries and Accumulators) Regulations 2014. Those opting to self-comply with the regulations are required to submit annual reports and three yearly plans to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Click here to view the European Union (Batteries and Accumulators) Regulations 2014
Waste Tyres
Waste Management (Tyres and Waste Tyres) Regulations 2007 promote the environmentally sound management of waste tyres. They provide a regulatory framework for comparing quantities of waste tyres arising, with the quantities placed on the market and in tracking the movement of waste tyres from the time they are discarded until they are either reused or processed for recycling and/or recovery
The new regulations for the tyre sector introduced a full compliance scheme operated by Repak ELT, with a registration and reporting role for the Producer Register Limited (PRL).
In accordance with the Regulations, a person who supplies tyres (or waste tyres) for the purpose of trade or otherwise in the course of business to other persons, whether as manufacturer, wholesaler, supplier, trader, or retailer are legally obliged to join the collective compliance scheme operated by the approved body, Circol ELT.
To view the Circol ELT website please click this link
The scheme is based on the Producer Responsibility Model that has worked successfully in this country for other waste streams, such as packaging, batteries and waste electrical and electronic goods (WEEE).
To view the Waste Management (Tyres and Waste Tyres) Regulations 2007 click this link
Further information is also available at ProducerRegister.ie which you can access by clicking this link
The Environmental Protection Agency also have a Smart Garage Guide outlining good environmental practice in garages and information on how to comply with legislation relating to garage and vehicle servicing operations.
Access the Smart Garage Guide by clicking this link
Farm Plastic Waste
The Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations, 2001 impose obligations on producers and suppliers of certain farm plastics to operate a deposit and refund scheme, to collect waste farm plastics, to takes steps for the recovery of such waste, to register with and provide information to local authorities and to provide information to purchaser.
An exemption from these obligations is available to persons who participate in a waste recovery scheme operated by an approved body.
Irish Farm Film Producers Group is Ireland’s only approved farm plastics recycling compliance scheme. Click this link to access the Irish Farm Film Producers Group website
View the Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations, 2001 by clicking this link
Further information
Further information on waste management regulations can be found on our Waste and Recycling page by clicking here
Disclaimer
The above information is intended to facilitate your understanding of the main provisions of the regulations and should not be taken as a legal interpretation.
