The European Commission adopted the worlds first comprehensive Plastics Strategy In January 2018.  In May 2018 The European Commission proposed new laws to tackle the 10 most found plastic waste items on Europe’s beaches as well as fishing gear.  The Single Use Plastics Directive is an integral part of the wider approach announced in the Plastics...

Waste facility Permits (WFP) are granted for a period of 5 years.  An application for a renewal of a WFP must be made to the licensing authority such that the facility can to continue to operate. Our client, a waste management company required a renewal of their WFP.   However, significant changes were required to expand...

More than 80% of marine litter is plastics. The European Commission is proposing new EU-wide rules that target the 10 single-use plastic products most often found on Europe’s beaches and seas, as well as lost and abandoned fishing gear. These products are the biggest part of the problem. Together they constitute 70% of all marine...

The first Europe-wide strategy on plastic waste, was adopted today, is a part of the transition towards a more circular economy.  It will protect the environment from plastic pollution whilst fostering growth and innovation, turning a challenge into a positive agenda for the Future of Europe. There is a strong business case for transforming the way products are...

With the amount of harmful plastic litter in oceans and seas growing ever greater, the European Commission has proposed new EU-wide rules to target the 10 Single-use plastics products most often found on Europe’s beaches and seas, as well as lost and abandoned fishing gear. Together, these constitute 70% of all marine litter items.  The new...

Under waste legislation construction and demolition waste is defined as “all waste that arises from construction, renovation and demolition activities.” If you are responsible for carrying out a construction and demolition project, you must ensure that you have a waste management plan.  ECOS recently successfully completed a waste management plan to the satisfaction of the...

The European Commission has issued its starkest warning yet of economic penalties facing the Government due to lack of progress in decarbonising Irish society and in adopting renewable energy.  Its 2018 Country Report Ireland concludes “existing climate change mitigation efforts will not enable Ireland to achieve its Europe 2020 climate goals domestically”. It adds: “Only limited progress...

A Waste Collection Permit (WCP) is required where a person wishes to collect waste for the purposes of reward or profit.  In accordance with Section 24 (1) of the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007 & 2008, a waste collection permit is valid for 5 years from the day it was granted. Our client, a...

A third  of Irish bees are threatened with extinction, with bumblebee populations falling year-on-year due to removal of hedgerows and ditches, use of pesticides and insecticides and climate change.  Last Sunday was the first ever global World Bee Day and experts hope an EU ban on insecticides linked to declining bee populations will help prevent further deterioration of...

Europe has sent a little more than half the plastic waste it used to ship to China to other parts of Asia since Beijing’s environmental crackdown closed the world’s biggest recycling market in January. Recycling closer to home is held back by the fact that the plastic is often dirty and unsorted, the same reasons China turned...