A regional composting facility for green waste, to be located at Coolbeg in Co Wicklow, has been licensed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Tim O'Brien reports.
The privately run facility, due to open early next month, aims to fill a gap in the waste management infrastructure in the Dublin region, following the closure of a similar facility run by Dublin City Council at St Anne's Park, in Raheny.
Dublin local authorities are also planning two new composting facilities to cater for biodegradable waste, to be located at Ballyogan in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and Kilshane Cross in Fingal.
New brown wheelie bins are currently being rolled out across the four Dublin local authority areas, to collect biodegradable household waste including food scraps.
However, the new private facility in Wicklow is being aimed exclusively at green, or garden, waste and will be open to private and commercial gardeners.
The EPA has licensed the facility to take in 40,000 tonnes of garden waste a year and up to €8 million has been invested in the new plant by the Wicklow family behind King Tree Services.
The composting facility is to be operated by a separate company, Greenking Composting Ltd.