The European Union’s (EU) approach to waste management is based on three principles: waste prevention, reuse and recycling, and improving final disposal and monitoring. In 2010, the total generation of waste from economic activities and households in the EU amounted to 2.570 million tonnes, which equates to 5.1 tonnes of waste per person. The EU-funded project BURBA http://www.burbaproject.net/ (Bottom-up selection, collection and management...

The Green Healthcare Programme has updated its Best Practice Guidance Document on Food Waste Reduction. The document has been updated to include some further information and a revised layout. You can access the document using the following link: http://www.greenhealthcare.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Food-Waste-Reduction-Best-Practice-updated.pdf This guide outlines actions to reduce the quantity of food waste generated in healthcare facilities.  The information...

The Chemical Usage Survey was undertaken by the Authority in 2012. This was a follow up survey to the Chemical Usage Survey carried out in 2007. The aim of the 2007 survey was to produce a profile of chemical usage in Irish workplaces which could then be used by the Health and Safety Authority to...

The European Commission’s Seville-based IPPC bureau has released the second draft of revised EU guidance on best available techniques (BAT) to reduce pollution from pig and poultry installations. The new draft specifies BAT techniques and their associated emission levels (AELs) from which limit values will be derived in pollution permits determined by national authorities, taking into account local conditions....

European Union legislation has established more than 130 separate environmental targets and objectives to be met between 2010 and 2050. Together, these can provide useful milestones supporting Europe’s transition towards a ‘green economy’, according to a report published by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The ‘green economy’ has emerged as a priority in policy debate...