Public consultation on proposed new regulations on trade in scrap metal at waste facility sites
The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Mr. Phil Hogan, T.D., today (Monday 19th November 2012) published for public consultation proposed new regulations on the trade in scrap metal – the Waste Management (Facility Permit and Regulation) (Amendment) Regulations 2012. These regulations would impose new obligations on operators of waste facility sites.
In introducing the public consultation, the Minister noted the cost to society of the recent widespread incidence of metal theft. The Minister commented: “While the scourge of metal theft raises issues beyond what can be addressed under the Waste Management Act, I believe that appropriate checks at waste facility sites will greatly help in resolving this problem. The measures I am proposing today are designed, above all, to enhance the traceability of purchases of scrap metal at these sites”.
In particular, the proposed measures aim to:
(a)Prohibit cash payments in respect of material received,
(b)Prohibit the sale of metals which have been damaged by fire;
(c) Require proof of identity and current address of the person supplying the material,
(d)Require records to be kept pertaining to the delivery vehicle, materials sold and amount paid;
(e)Require a signed statement by the person supplying the material that they are the lawful owner (or that they have the owner’s consent).
The draft regulations are downloadable on the Department’s website http://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Waste/PublicConsultations/ and the consultation will be open for four weeks, until Friday 14th December 2012. “I would encourage all interested parties to make their views known, so that we can proceed rapidly to address an issue that is of great concern to many communities”, the Minister concluded.