Prattfall by the Metro Board

When the Metro Board was fumbling around looking (in vain, it turned out) for a reasonable resolution to the total confusion created by their staff around the future of waste in this region, I was flying in an airplane. The news caught up with me in Montreal that our politicians had utterly failed to rise to the occasion, delivering instead a decision that was even more incoherent than the staff recommendations.

They couldn't choose between in-region incineration or out-of-region incineration. So they chose both -- with a landfill thrown in for good measure. Steadfastly, they ignored the voices of their own citizens, saying let us prove that we can cut our waste so we won't need a new waste facility.

A moment of real possibility. And we blew it.

Ireland shifts away from incineration

Ireland's Environment Minister said in a speech earlier this month that he intends to shift his country's waste management away from reliance on incineration. Noting that existing solid waste management plans will bring "a very substantial over-capacity for incineration," he is asking his staff to explore alternative technologies for pre-treating non-recyclable waste before it goes to landfills. One technology being looked at is mechanical biological treatment (MBT). In this process, non-recyclable waste is composted before being buried in the ground in order to reduce the amount of methane it produces. MBT is one of a suite of measures that will be looked at during a major review of waste policy in the coming year. Gormley is the leader of Ireland's Green Party.