Allister speaks out in waste debate
13 February 2007
In a speech in the European Parliament on the Commission’s Thematic Strategy document on Waste, DUP MEP Jim Allister, while supportive of many of its findings, questioned if the answer lay in yet more EU legislation.
Moreover, the Ulster Euro MP is unhappy not just with illegal exports of waste from the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland, but with the growing practice of EU waste being exported to developing countries for processing, by methods probably less environmentally sustainable than would be required within the EU. “This added to the large carbon footprint of such exports makes this a short-sighted policy driven by the quick-fix mentality”, says Mr Allister.
In the course of his remarks in the Strasbourg Parliament Jim Allister said:-
“This Thematic Strategy document is strong on identifying the problems – waste volumes continuing to grow, potential for waste prevention and recycling not fully used, illegal cross-border waste shipments increasing and so on – but, as ever, Brussels answer is more legislation.
It would be more sensible to review existing laws and make them work before adding new layers of legislation. If legislation is being poorly implemented, if there are different approaches to solving waste problems, if current wording causes interpretation problems, what will usefully be served by adding new laws without streamlining and ensuring implementation of the existing legislation? We hear much talk of simplification of regulations, but, frankly, little of substance has happened.
Similarly, on illegal cross-border shipments, it is vital where the waste source is identified, then, the polluter pays principle is rigorously enforced. In Northern Ireland we are afflicted with illegal dumping from the Republic of Ireland. It can and must do more to stop these illegal shipments and it must pay for the damage.”
