No incineration, zero waste

Daithí Doolan, Arthur Morgan, Mary Lou McDonald and Sinead Pembroke

Sinn Féin launched its waste management charter earlier this week, at a press conference where the focus was on the campaign against incineration and for a proper waste management strategy.

The charter reiterates the party's support for the abolition of local authority refuse charges that penalise the householder, who produces less than 10% of all solid waste. The document lays out the parameters for much needed discussion and concentrates on the three R's, the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste across Ireland. "This isn't just a catchy slogan but the heart of a strategy to deal with Ireland's waste problem in an environmentally friendly, sustainable and health conscious manner," said Arthur Morgan TD.

He was joined at the launch by Sinn Féin TD Arthur; Daithí Doolan, representative for Dublin South East; Mary lou McDonald, the Dublin EU candidate and Sinéad Pembroke, who will contest the South Dublin Pembroke ward in the upcoming local elections.

The charter is a starting point from which to base sensible discussions on waste management and its effects on the environment. Mary lou McDonald pointed out that "it isn't the pill to cure every ill but it is an excellent place to start".

The charter stands in direct opposition to the government's position, which seems to involve stringing a necklace of incinerators around the country. This comes at a time when, with the exception of Tony Blair's Britain, other EU countries are acting in a responsible fashion and are phasing out the use of incineration.

"We are steadfast against incineration," said Daithí Doolan, in whose constituency the incinerator is planned. "We must invest in the fledgling recycling industry." As Arthur Morgan pointed out, the recycling industry "is stretched to full capacity because people have demonstrated a willingness to recycle, showing that given the chance they are deeply concerned about the environment".

This is something the government will have failed to demonstrate if they go ahead and construct the proposed incinerator at Ringsend, said Daithí Doolan. "It will operate 24 hours a day seven days a week and will be capable of burning more waste than all of Dublin produces — a fact that will undoubtedly act as an incentive to import waste to burn and a disincentive to recycle."

Sinéad Pembroke was keen to point out at the launch that this won't just be a problem for Ringsend but will create what she described as a "Toxic Highway" in our skies, distributing pollution across all areas of Dublin.

So what are the alternatives?

Sinn Féin's strategy prioritises, as mentioned, the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste and calls for the halting of plans for a string of incinerators that would require a continued stream of waste to operate.

It calls for legally requiring the main industrial and commercial producers of waste and packaging to reduce their waste in a planned and targeted manner and ensure that packaging is reusable.

The strategy calls for agricultural waste to be dealt with in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner, concentrating on biological treatment, and it also calls for the establishment of recycling and reuse enterprises at a community and commercial level which would not only provide efficient waste management but employment as well.

There are numerous other recommended methods of managing our waste, all of which would undoubtedly lead to improvements in our waste management system if properly developed.