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Mr. Dick Roche, TD, Minister for the Environment, Heritage
and Local Government, launched the EPA's new Code of Practice
on Environmental Risk Assessment for Unregulated Waste Disposal
Sites.
Welcoming this development the Minister said - "When
I issued an innovative policy direction in 2005 - dealing
with unauthorised waste disposal activity - I also asked the
EPA to prepare this Code (Click
Here) to better help local authorities in managing
closed landfills not the subject of our modern and comprehensive
system of waste licensing. Today's launch is the culmination
of that process, which involved extensive consultation with
stakeholders."
The Minister drew particular attention to the Exchequer funding
now being made available under the National Development Plan
2007-2013 and said - "The making available of these funds
to assist local authorities to meet necessary remediation
costs at their former landfill facilities, is a clear demonstration
of the Government's commitment to ensuring that such disused
facilities pose no threat to the environment or human health."
The Minister concluded - "The ball is now in the court
of local authorities in progressing the risk assessment of
relevant sites and determining any remediation measures that
might be necessary. While putting their own house in order,
they must also, of course, remain unrelenting in pursuing
those who seek to engage in illegal waste disposal - whether
on an organised basis, or at the level of individual households."
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