The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today (Thursday, August 28) published its report on the mid-term evaluation and implementation of Ireland's National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2021-2027.

The report details that while progress has been slow in terms of farm hazardous waste, across three trial collections in 2024, approximately 600 farmers used the service, with almost 95t of hazardous waste collected.

The three collection services were undertaken by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM) and the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE) in conjunction with the Irish Farm Film Producers Group (IFFPG).

According to the EPA, a national programme of regional farm hazardous waste collections will be rolled out in 2025, under DAFM and DCEE co-funding of €150,000.

The mid-term report stated that the 2024 farm hazardous waste collection trial "demonstrated that farmers are willing to engage and contribute to" the costs of appropriate hazardous waste disposal.

The EPA highlighted that there is a need for industry involvement and contribution, and called for an extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme to implement a sustainable solution.

Commenting on the report, director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Sustainability, David Flynn said: “Our report, published today, highlights a strong case for investment in Ireland’s hazardous waste treatment infrastructure. 

"Ireland exports half of its hazardous waste for treatment. We cannot continue to rely on other countries to treat significant quantities of hazardous wastes generated in Ireland.”

The mid-term report details that a cross-agency meeting on the disposal of waste / spent sheep dip was established in 2024 as part of a recommendation from a previous report on evaluation of the plan.

The cross-agency group consisted of representatives from DAFM, EPA, Donegal County Council, the Local Authorities Waters Programme (LAWPRO) (Border Region), and ACRES Co-operation (Donegal).

Their work was guided by recommendations made in an EPA-commissioned report on sheep dipping, resulting in a code of practice (COP) being drafted in 2024.

According to the EPA, an assessment of the legal basis for implementing a professional sheep dip user register is in progress and it is proposed to create a new statutory instrument (commencing in September) for such a register under the Veterinary Medicinal Products Act, 2023.

From September 2025, sheep dipping products will be classified as prescription only medicine (POM) and require an electronic prescription for purchase.

The EPA said this should provide "further control" on the sale of sheep dipping products and allow monitoring of use by DAFM.