The Office of Environmental Enforcement and Waste Regulation

1. The Office of Environmental Enforcement and Waste Regulation Valerie Doyle Enforcement Network Co-ordinator Office of Environmental Enforcement

2. The Office of Environmental Enforcement An Office dedicated to the implementation and enforcement of environmental legislation in Ireland

3. The Goal Those who flout environmental law and cause environmental pollution as a result of their actions must, as a matter of course, be held to account

4. Organisational Structure OFFICE OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE Strategic Planning, Corporate Governance and External Relations ADVISORY COMMITTEE DIRECTOR GENERAL Office of Environmental Enforcement Office of Communications and Corporate Service Office of Licensing and Guidance Office of Environmental Assessment

5. The Role • Enforcing EPA licences (IPPC and Waste) • Auditing Local Authorities • Taking action against Local Authorities lagging behind • Prosecution (both on its own and by assisting Local Authorities) • Assisting Local Authorities through an Enforcement Network

6. The Role (continued) • Improve coordination of enforcement activities in Ireland • Actively communicate its actions • Raise awareness of the importance of enforcement • Better quality enforcement, and • An improvement in overall compliance with Environmental Protection Legislation

7. Enforcement of EPA Licences • Enforcement Plan • Audits and Inspections • Monitoring • Report Assessment • Enforcement Actions • Reporting on activities

8. Enforcement Network • Overall objective: • Foster co-operation between the various agencies involved in enforcement of environmental legislation so that a higher and more consistent standard of enforcement is achieved throughout the country. • Will involve: • EPA, Local Authorities and Other bodies with Environmental Enforcement responsibilities • Other organisations for specific working groups

9. Best Practice Exchange of information Special investigations EHS Public Health PSNI Gardai Fisheries boards Co-ordination of enforcement actions Feedback to policy makers Consistent & Better Enforcement LA’s DEHLG OEE LE OEE PA

10. The Enforcement Network National Steering Committee Waste Network Other Networks Water Network Working Groups Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Unauthorised Waste Activities Farm Plastics Packaging Working Groups Working Groups Suir Surface Water Erne/Blackwater Surface Water Working Groups Minimum Criteria for Environmental Inspection Complaints Cross Compliance

11. Unauthorised Waste Activities • Unauthorised Waste Activities include illegal dumping, illegal collection and transportation of waste • Objectives: • Tackle illegal cross-border movement of waste • Identify compaines and individulas involved in illegal movement of waste into Northern Ireland • Bring a halt to Unauthorised Waste Activity within the Republic of Ireland • Deal with illegal movement and disposal of waste in the Republic of Ireland • Remediate illegal sites where necessary • Actively manage complaints on Unauthorised Waste Activity

12. Unauthorised Waste Activities • Unauthorised Waste Activities include illegal dumping, illegal collection and transportation of waste • Actions to Date: • Consultancy Contract to determine the level of UWA in the Country • Creation of a National Network on UWA and • Creation of 6 Regional Networks • Undertaking of two national concerted actions in conjunction with Gardai and the PSNI • Training of 60+ Enforcement Officers in the investigation and prosecution of UWA • Recording and reporting of enforcement actions

13. Transfrontier Shipment of Waste • EU Regulation 253/93 • The requirements in relation to waste movement relate to the type of waste being moved and is classified into three lists: • Green • Amber • Red • Where waste is classified as Amber or Red list waste, there is a requirement for pre-approval of the Shipment by the Competent Authorities of Dispatch, Transit and Destination. • In Ireland, the Local Authorities are the Competent Authorities of Dispatch • Green List Waste must be accompanied by a shipment certificate but need not be pre approved before shipment.

14. Transfrontier Shipment of Waste • Movements of waste across borders are controlled by the TFS regulation including movements to Northern Ireland from the Republic • Actions to Date: • Creation of a Working Group to develop Best Practice Guidance for Local Authorities • Seminar on TFS Enforcment for Local Authorities • A Series of Inspections at Irish Ports • Development of international communications with Other Countries • Taking part in European projects, including joint port inspections in Dublin, Cork, Rotterdam and Antwerp

15. Farm Plastics Enforcement • Producer Responsibility Initiative • Producers or/and Importers of Farm Films are required to either join a compliance scheme or register with their Local Authority • Actions to Date: • Development of an Inspection Protocol for Local Authorities

16. Packaging Enforcement • Packaging Enforcment Network set up by DOEHLG at end of 2001 • Network was extended to all Local Authorities in January 2004 • Office of Environmental Enforcement took over the organisation of the Network in September 2004 • Working Group set up in August 2004 to support the Network

17. Packaging Enforcement • Activities of the Working Group on Packaging • Identify non compliant Major Producers and to prioritise enforcement action • Protocal for investigating Major Producers • National Network of Packaging Enforcement Officers • Circa 60 Enforcement Officers from 34 Local Authorities, • Concerted Action on List of Suspects • Self Complier Inspections • Inspections Producer Responsibility • Reporting on Enforcement activities • Identification on enforcement priorities

18. Packaging Enforcement • Inspections in last year- 6034 • Suspect Major producers list 1454 • Major producers identified up to Mar 05 –180 • 68 now REPAK members • 48 have advised that they are joining REPAK • 19 Registered Self Compliers • 20 have advised that they are registering as Self Compliers • 25 to be brought into compliance with the Regulations

19. Summary of Prosecutions& Enforcement actions OEE Actions 37 prosecutions since OEE established 10 in 2005 19 cases on hand Actions in 2004 • 1135 inspections • 8 statutory notices • 718 other LA Actions 2004 • 270 prosecutions under WMA • 2114 inspections on permitted sites • 6034 inspections on packaging regulations • 1363 statutory notices • 3183 others

20. Summary • OEE is dedicated to the implementation and enforcement of Environmental Legislation in Ireland • Its role includes assisting Local Authorities in the undertaking of enforcement activities to achieve; • Better quality enforcement, and • An improvement in overall compliance with Environmental Protection legislation • The Enforcement Network is the means to achieve this end and the emphasis of the Network is on better Enforcement of Waste Legislation • www.epa.ie • www.enforcementnetwork.ie