Blog
The Circular Economy
At Zero Waste Alliance Ireland, we have been advocating for a Circular Economy since we became established in 2004. The Irish government is finally taking action and preparing a whole-of-government Circular Economy Strategy. Last Friday the 11th of June 2021, we submitted a response to the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications with our recommendations for the…
Recycling Phosphorus From Wastewater
An Fóram Uisce calls for a national policy of recycling phosphorus from wastewater to support the Agri Food Strategy over the coming decades. As a part of its recent “Submission To The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in Relation to the Public Consultation Process on the Agri-Food Strategy 2030″, In their submission An…
Easter Eggstras Clean-Up
The Easter egg chocolate is all eaten, Easter has drawn to a close. The packaging is still with us however and as the Waste collection trucks come calling you need to properly end the Easter period with a good clean up. Single-use items, particularly packaging waste is a significant global issue, implicating and affecting us…
Cork Energy Cluster New Focus on the CE
We are delighted to see that this year’s Cork Energy Cluster conference will have a Zero Waste and Sustainability theme. At their annual conference 2021, March 24 – 26th, they will ‘Explore Innovative Models for Reducing Waste and Increasing Sustainability‘. This is a significant shift as it marks a departure from pure energy and sustainable…
Clean Air Boost, Courtesy of Our High Court
There’s a sweeter smell in the air around Cork Harbour this sunny afternoon. You can hear the collective community sighs. After a three year wait we have a glimmer of hope in the form of a High Court decision that vindicates a committed community’s claim to a safe environment and clean air. Today (Friday 19th…
Recycling by the Numbers
Mass production of plastics, which began just six decades ago, has accelerated so rapidly that it has created 8.3 billion metric tons—most of it in single use disposable products that end up as trash. (source NationalGeographic). A study, published back in July 13th 2017, in the peer-reviewed journal Science Advances, was the first global analysis…
Is Our National Air Pollution Control Plan Out of Control?
There’s a whiff of inadequacy and low ambition about our Government’s draft National Air Pollution Control Plan. We need a more citizen’s welfare centred approach. Luckily the EU mandates public scrutiny and comment on draft plans. We took that opportunity with both lungs. We recommend you do also. NAPCP Plan needs more ambition. So we…
Water, Water Everywhere! But, so is the Waste.
At Zero Waste Alliance Ireland (ZWAI) we hate to waste any resource, whether it’s food, money, water and particularly any waste of opportunities. We’re delighted in this instance to see that An Fóram Uisce share the same concerns as we do as regards the waste of our precious water resources and the destruction of nutrients…
Buying Fashion Online? But What Happens to Returned Clothes?
bought from online shops? Not content with trying to combat fast fashion, Aparna Mehta reveals the unseen world of online returns – which, instead of ending up back on the shelf, go elsewhere. Would you consider Greenturning? Watch to find out what happens…
Where’s Your Plastic Waste?
It used to be just people that traffickers targeted. Now Traffickers see Plastic waste as a valuable material. Interpol is on the case and it’s disturbing. A recent INTERPOL report has found an alarming increase in illegal plastic waste pollution trade across the world since 2018. The report provides a disturbing insight into emerging trafficking…
Programme For Government 2020 – Sailing Blind?
The recent publication of the new Coalition Government’s agreed programme for government , called the ‘Programme for Government – Our Shared Future’, has left a lot of jaws stuct to the floor. The document, so long touted as ‘imaginative and progressive’, fell far short. It was, however, full of wishfull thinking with more reviews promised…
Time to Rethink the EU-Mercosur Agreement!
Sign the Call for EU Council presidency to stop the EU-Mercosur Agreement. Sign the Call for German EU Council presidency to stop the EU-Mercosur Agreement Environmental crisis looming with proposed agreement. ZWAI , in partnership with very many other organizations throughout the EU, is concerned with the deep flaws embedded in the proposed EU-Mercosur trade…
