In the face of widespread public opposition, private companies plan to provide waste facilities where local authorities do not, writes Alison Healy.
Indaver Ireland will make history if it succeeds in its bid to open the State's first incinerator for household waste in Co Meath in 2005.
The plant at Carranstown, near Duleek, was granted planning permission last summer, but this was appealed to An Bord Pleanála, and the firm is awaiting a date for an oral hearing.
Indaver is also planning a hazardous-waste incinerator in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork. While both plans have attracted vociferous opposition from some groups, the hazardous-waste incinerator has received less hostility, according to Mr John Ahern, general manager of Indaver Ireland.
With Cork accounting for most of the State's hazardous-waste output, people realise the waste has to go somewhere, whereas they hope household waste will just disappear, he says.
If the Ringaskiddy incinerator gets over the planning hurdles, it should open in 2006. Otherwise, the "ridiculous" situation will continue where Indaver is exporting hazardous - and even non-hazardous - waste to Europe for incineration, he says.
Does he believe both incinerators will finally be built? "If I say yes, people will say we are arrogant, so I won't say that. But we would be happy at the progress we are making so far."
Mr Ahern believes privately operated incinerator companies have an advantage over local authorities because they can show people how existing incinerators work. Indaver Ireland has taken more than 200 people to the Flanders region of Belgium to see working incinerators.
Private operators also have access to more funds. The hazardous-waste incinerator in Cork will cost €90 million, while the municipal incinerator in Meath will cost €75 million.
He believes the key duty of anyone planning an incinerator is to keep the public informed. If a company announced plans to build an incinerator close to his home, he would oppose it if the company was not open about its plans.
Mr Ahern says Indaver is constantly defending itself against misinformation, particularly on health issues. Incinerators account for less than 1 per cent of dioxin emissions in Europe, yet protesters say incineration is the biggest source of dioxins, he says.
"Ninety-nine per cent of dioxins come from homes and cars, but no one seems to worry about that."
Once thermal treatment plants have been included in regional waste management plans, they are almost a fait accompli, according to environmental consultant Mr P.J. Rudden, of M.C. O'Sullivan consultants.
People may still appeal planning permission for such facilities, but An Bord Pleanála will be more receptive to the project if it is part of the region's waste management plan. Mr Rudden, who has advised the Government and local authorities on this issue, says incineration has a role to play for at least 30 per cent of the municipal waste stream. "Even if recycling rates increased to 45 per cent from the current 12 per cent, that would still leave 55 per cent of waste. What happens to that?"
During the consultation process for the regional plans, people were asked if they would prefer landfills or incineration to cater for the waste that would not be recycled. On average, 80 per cent said they would prefer incineration.
"In some pockets of the country, it was 95 per cent. So it is what people have asked for."
Mr Rudden says it may take 10 years before some of the more ambitious plans are realised.
He believes the recycling plans will have a greater effect on people's lives than any other single factor in coming years. The introduction of separate bins for different forms of waste will make people change lifelong habits.
The Environmental Protection Agency also sees a role for incineration in the management of waste.
Mr Gerry Carty, the EPA's programme manager for waste licensing, says it assesses each application individually for its environmental impact. It has already licensed 12 incinerators attached to eight industrial facilities and is considering the licence application for the Meath incinerator.
"We don't advocate incineration in all circumstances - it's one of a number of technologies that is widely available and that is proven to work," he says. He points out that complaints about waste facilities have decreased substantially since the Waste Management Act was introduced.