A national waste-management body has today warned that a long-term solution is required to prevent the "collapse" of recycled waste markets.
After a meeting in Portlaoise today, the Irish Waste Management Association (IWMA) said it would work with the Government to identify a long-term solution.
While noting that Ireland exports over 1.5 million tonnes of materials for recycling each year, the IWMA said that in recent weeks the price of commodities has collapsed, "effectively closing markets for these materials".
Speaking after tonight's meeting, IWMA chairman Jim Kells said: “To date the market has been very buoyant, and recycling rates have increased, but the recent fall in commodity prices will have an impact across the retail, commercial, industrial and household sectors.
"IWMA representatives have already met with officials from the Department of Environment and the Environmental Protection Agency, where the scale and speed of the difficulties were outlined," Mr Kells continued.
The IWMA is the national representative body for the private waste and resource management sector.
