Ireland increases landfill tax for second time

摘要

The cost of disposing household waste in landfills became more expensive in Ireland this week, as Environment Minister John Gormley announced a rise in the landfill tax from €25 per tonne of waste to €30 as of 1 February.rnThis is the second time in just over a month that the landfill levy has been increased. On 31 December, it was increased from €20 to €25, with Gormley announcing he will bring forward legislation allowing a rise to €50 per tonne next year and to €75 per tonne in 2012.rnThe move is designed to force waste operators to compost more household waste. Recent government statistics show that 1.2 million tonnes of waste are disposed of in landfills. Ireland faces the prospect of being fined by the EU unless it diverts another 280,000 tonnes of waste away from landfills by July this year.