Galway generates more than 70 thousand tonnes of waste a year

Galway Bay fm newsroom – Over 70 thousand tonnes of waste was collected across the city and county in 2012. A report published by the Environmental Protection Agency shows that over 47 thousand tonnes were disposed of in the county, and a further 23 thousand in the city. County households recycled 10 thousand 700 tonnes of waste in 2012, while city homes recycled almost 5 thousand tonnes. 3 thousand tonnes of waste from county homes were disposed of at bring banks in the period, and 16 hundred tonnes from city households. In the city, the brown bin collection recorded over 5 thousand 200 tonnes, while the county figure stood at 2 thousand 400. Nationally, 2012 was the first year that the percentage tonnage of municipal waste recovered exceeded the percentage tonnage disposed. The EPA says this reflects a combination of measures including an increase in the use of municipal waste as a fuel and increases in the landfill levy for disposal of waste to landfill. The report also states that all EU waste reduction targets are on-track. However there are some concerns regarding achievement of future targets such as 2015 end-of-life-vehicle recycling and recovery targets, and 2016 targets for collection of portable batteries.