A new draft strategy for managing Dublin's waste includes a plan to have more than half the city's rubbish recycled by 2010.
The Draft Dublin Waste Management Plan 2005-2010 covers the capital's four local authorities and plans to double recycling infrastructure and cut landfill use to just 16 per cent.
The investment budget is put at around €300 million.
Matt Twomey, chairman of the Dublin Region Waste Steering Group, said: "Preventing and reducing waste is key to the success of any waste plan. . . . We concentrated from the start on improving recycling facilities and making it easier for everyone in the region to start to recycle," he added.
The plan also allocates 25 per cent of the city's refuse to the controversial incineration process. However, the planned incinerator - at Poolbeg in Ringsend - is not due to begin operation until 2009.
Although some regard incineration as eco-friendly because it converts waste into energy, there are concerns about the possible harmful effect of emissions from such plants and construction of the Poolbeg facility could face delays due to protests.
It was also revealed today that a new separate collection service of organic waste for composting will be introduced. Brown bins will be introduced next year, but increased charges are expected top cover the cost of the new service.
The draft plan goes on public display for two months at local authority offices starting next Monday, and interested parties can make comments and submissions. It can also be accessed online at www.dublinwaste.ie.