National Waste Enforcement Priorities

The work of the WERLAs is overseen by a National Steering Committe which includes representatives from a wide range of regulatory authorities. National Waste Enforcement Priorities are set by the committee and drive consistency at a central level.

National Waste Enforcement Priorities 2025

Household Waste

To ensure effective enforcement of the Household waste sector to encourage increased segregation and recycling of municipal waste by:

  • Inspecting Waste Collection Operators for the provision a three bin system.
  • Intelligence based household waste inspections (including apartments) with low levels of waste segregation and collection by permitted collectors.
  • Continued enforcement of non-routine activity under the waste presentation bye-laws.
  • Risk based site inspections at authorised facilities.
  • Annual Environmental Report (AER) validations on Waste Collection Permits and Waste Facility Permits.

Commercial Waste

To ensure effective enforcement of the commercial waste sector to encourage increased segregation and recycling of municipal waste by:

  • Inspection of Waste Collection Permit operators for the provision of a three bin system.
  • Intelligence based commercial premises inspections in areas with low levels of waste segregation and collection by permitted collectors.
  • Continued enforcement of non-routine activity under waste presentation bye laws.
  • Risk based site inspections at authorised facilities
  • Annual Environmental Report (AER) validations on Waste Collection Permits and Waste Facility Permits. 

Construction and Demolition Material

To ensure effective enforcement of the management, movement, recovery and disposal of C&D material by:

  • Ensure resource and waste management plans for Construction and Demolition projects are assessed.
  • Risk based site inspections of construction and development sites.
  • Inspection of Regulation 27 sites of origin and destination to include material registered under the National By-Product Criteria Greenfield Soil and Stone.
  • Risk based site inspections at certificate of registration, waste facility permit and licenced sites to identify and resolve non-compliances.
  • Authorised waste treatment facilities producing recycled aggregates are registered on the End of Waste Register and adhering to the National Criteria requirements.

Tackling Illegal Waste Activities and Multi-Agency Sites/Operators of Concern

To ensure detection, cessation and remediation of unauthorised waste sites, collectors and sites/operators of concern by:

  • Targeted inspections and consistent approach to follow up enforcement actions of unauthorised collectors and site operators.
  • Co-ordinate enforcement activity with regulators through internal and external stakeholders.
  • Relevant anti-dumping initiatives implemented.
  • Identify and enforce illegal waste activities at authorised sites.

Plastics and Producer Responsibility Initiatives

To ensure all industry operators are registered with appropriate compliance schemes and comply with the relevant regulations:

  • Tyre compliance
  • Deposit Return Scheme compliance
  • WEEE/Batteries compliance
  • Continue to raise awareness, identify, inspect and monitor all obligated partners in the relevant sectors under existing compliance schemes have regard to sectoral and local issues.