Planned Ringsend incinerator may be classified as energy plant

The proposed incinerator for Ringsend may be be reclassified from a waste disposal plant to an "energy plant" and its fuel redesignated from rubbish to "secondary raw material", it has emerged.

Under a draft waste management directive from the European Union due for adoption next year, some incinerators which generate energy will in future be classified as recovery facilities.

As part of the new directive's reclassification of waste itself, rubbish going into an efficient incinerator would be considered a resource, and so classified as raw material. The whole process is to be classified as "recovery" rather than disposal.

The new arrangement will apply to Ringsend if Dublin City Council succeeds in meeting energy recovery targets: in effect, if the plant is efficient at generating usable energy from its operation. The Ringsend incinerator aims to provide electricity for 45,000 to 50,000 homes and hot water to a further 50,000 to 60,000 homes. Crucially, if the plant is approved before 2008 the tests for efficiency, and so entitlement to reclassification, are easier. Last month, Dublin City Council began the statutory approval process.

Labour Party spokesman on the environment Eamon Gilmore said the EU wanted to change the emphasis of incinerators from being waste disposal facilities to emphasising their energy recovery aspects.