What a waste

Westmeath generated more than twice as much household waste as neighbouring Longford, and 40 per cent more than Offaly during 2011, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Waste Report for 2011, released last week.

The figures show that in 2011, Westmeath’s households left out 16,029 tonnes of waste in their black bins and 4,084 tonnes in their green bins.

In addition, they deposited 1,984 tonnes of waste in civic amenity sites, and a further 1,475 at bring banks, along with 12 tonnes in brown bins.

The EPA estimates that a further 624 tonnes were home composted.

Added together, the figures give a total tonnage of 24,208. By contrast, the total for Offaly amounted to 15,955, and for Longford, just 11,107.

Of the waste left at civic amenity sites, some 517 tonnes were of organic waste (food and garden waste); 437 was paper, card and magazines; 349 tonnes was electrical waste, and 255 was wood.

When it comes to waste collected at bring banks, 1,460 tonnes were of glass, and 15 tonnes of aluminium cans.

Nationally, the figures show that Ireland’s municipal solid waste generation has decreased by 17% since it peaked in 2007, largely as the result of the recession and a decline in personal consumption.

Ireland now produces less household waste per capita than the EU average and is recycling 40% of its municipal waste. Ireland is also achieving all its EU waste recovery targets with the exception of End of Life Vehicle recovery.