Regulation of Waste Collectors & Facilities

Waste Permits | Waste Collector Permits

3.4.1 Waste Permits

Under section 39 of the Waste Management Act, 1996 waste activities must have a waste licence from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A number of activities are exempted and instead require a waste permit from the Local Authority. Activities that need a permit include recycling and recovery facilities, car dismantling facilities and disposal facilities where the annual intake is less than 5,000 tonnes (excluding hazardous waste and landfills). These are generally smaller scale activities with low environmental risk.

The waste permitting system in Ireland is open and transparent. The application and all associated information are available for inspection at the offices of the Environment Section. Any person can make a written submission in relation to the application. Galway County Council must allow 21 days to elapse between receipt of an application or of information requested and the grant or refusal of a permit.

Galway County Council cannot grant a permit unless satisfied that:

The activity will not cause environmental pollution Emissions will not contravene relevant standards or emission limit values Best technology not entailing excessive cost will be used.

Procedure for Waste Permit Applications

Updated October 2008

Waste permit application forms and Information Sheets are available from the Environment Section of Galway County Council or can be downloaded under downloads/application forms.

For further information on the above contact John Frawley, Executive Engineer (091) 476479 or jfrawley@galwaycoco.ie

3.4.2 Waste Collector Permits

The purpose of the Waste Collector Permit system is to provide controls on the commercial collection of waste to ensure good waste management and a high standard of environmental protection. Under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations, 2001 almost all waste collectors must apply for a waste collection permit. (A small number of waste collection activities are exempt from the permitting requirement, mainly because they are controlled under other legislation).

Mayo County Council is the nominated authority for the Connaught Area and is dealing with administration of the regulations on behalf of the six Connaught Waste Authorities (Galway County Council, Galway City Council, Leitrim County Council, Roscommon County Council, Sligo County Council and Mayo County Council).

Applicants must put a notice in a newspaper, circulating in the collection area, stating their intention to make an application. Any member of the public may make a written submission to Mayo County Council within 6 weeks of the application being made. Information is available in relation to waste collector permits from the offices of the Environment Section or at www.connaughtwaste.ie

The Council is aware that there are illegal collectors offering their services to the public by means of newspaper advertisements and flyers. The waste collected is often dumped in environmentally sensitive and important habitats and in illegal dumpsites.

It is an offence for members of the public to give waste to collectors who do not have a Waste Collectors Permit. All valid waste collectors possess a Waste Collector Permit Number. This number can be checked at www.connaughtwaste.ie or by contacting the Environment Section at (091) 476402.

If you are using the services of a Private Waste Collector always check that they hold a valid Waste Collectors Permit.

Environmental Pollution, in relation to waste, is defined in the Waste Management Act, 1996, as the holding, transport, recovery or disposal of waste in a manner which would, to a significant extent, endanger human health or harm the environment, and in particular-

create a risk to waters, the atmosphere, land, soil, plants or animals create a nuisance through noise, odours or litter, or adversely affect the countryside or places of special interest.