Sir, - I refer to our editorial "The Problem of Waste" (February 2nd) commenting on the launch of the Repak initiative by IBEC and, the Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin. Whilst we welcome this initiative and congratulate the Minister and IBEC, we feel that it should not detract from the substantial challenge facing us - nationally and globally - as a society existing on an ever growing landfill site.
Under the IBEC scheme, industry gives a commitment to achieve a 25 per cent rate of recycling packaging waste by 2001. As packaging waste provides for just 25 per cent of the total domestic waste stream, if this target is met it will mean a reduction of only 6.25 per cent in the waste mountain.
Clearly there is a wider problem to be addressed. We believe that to do this, we must move beyond the current focus to a much broader approach incorporating sustainable waste management solutions to minimising, reusing and re cycling all our waste. This includes newsprint, food and garden waste, non packaging plastics, textiles, agricultural and industrial waste, etc.
In your editorial, you mention that "within the framework of levies and subsidies there is ample opportunity for small businesses to develop means of collecting and recycling waste in a new entrepreneurial environmentalism". This is a somewhat starry eyed approach. Over the past decade there have been many commercial casualties on the recycling road, due to a short fall in revenue from sales of materials or a lack of capital; development.
To address this, Rehab Recycling has urged the Minister to introduce a recycling credits scheme similar to that operating in the UK. We have also called on the Revenue Commissioners to recognise recycling as a manufacturing activity, and so make it eligible for grant aid from State agencies such as Forbairt or through schemes such as the BES.
Rehab Recycling Partnership has shown how co operation between industry, local authorities and the public can substantially increase domestic recycling. The fruits of our success with the "bring system" means that 40 people, including 26 with disabilities, are employed in our recycling plants in Dublin and Cork. Surely an assessment of the issues outlined should be undertaken to ensure, as your editorial so aptly puts it, that the latest initiatives do not become mere "token commitments to environmental protection"? - Yours, etc.,
Chief Executive,
Rehab Recycling Partnership,
Gandon Enterprises Ltd.,
Roslyn Park, Sandymount, Dublin 4.