COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF ENVIRONMENT SPC

Monday, September 05, 2011

HEADED ITEM NO.

HEADED ITEM: G. Lee

7. Climate Change progress report

REPLY:

SDCC Climate Change Strategy Progress Report

The purpose of the South Dublin County Climate Change strategy is to promote best practice in relation to Climate Change issues. Five focus sections were set out in the strategy - Energy, Planning, Transport, Waste Management and Biodiversity.  

Under each section actions and key performance indicators were set out. The following table sets out the progress achieved to date on each of the actions and key performance indicators in relation to Waste Management and Biodiversity.  

The sections relating to energy, planning, transport will be dealt with in a presentation to follow.

 Waste Management

SDCC Actions	Progress
SDCC procurement
Under a new green procurement guideline, make demands regarding packaging and other waste related issues when procuring supplies etc.	This objective is incorporated into the Council’s procurement Policy and as such is implemented in all procurement processes undertaken by the Council.
Prevention
Continue to expand the resources for awareness and educational staff and campaigns specifically targeted at waste prevention at the household, school and business level	Green Business seminar during Eco Week Water conservation packs and hippos to schools – water waste prevention Home Composting Demonstration Site at Airfield in conjunction with DLRCC Stop Food Waste exhibition during Eco Week in County Hall Rotters Guide to Composting Ballyroan Library during Eco Week Water Roadshow visiting all libraries for two weeks at a time during the summer months New Household Water Conservation Leaflet New Water Conservation Viral Advert Bulbs not Bonfires campaign during Halloween 2010 Garbo Litter/Waste Workshops for Junior Primary School pupils
Reuse
Continue to promote and extend the FREE trade web service	Launch of the new Free Trade website for all Ireland launched this was publicised on www.sdcc.ie Link  to FreeTradeIreland.ie from SDCC.ie It is placed on a use links page on the Eco-Week brochure It is promoted on an ongoing basis during awareness talks
Maintain the support of existing community reuse schemes through educational and financial support and support the development of new initiatives	CCRI participated in Eco Week Events by holding a WEEE to work collection at County Hall FREE WEEE collections Days through out the County
Materials Recycling
Meet the 59% (Waste Management Plan) recycling target by 2013 and make Dublin a leading recycling region in Europe	Brown bins rolled out to 76,000 SDCC customers (now Greyhound customers) in 2010. 2,726 tonnes of biodegradable waste diverted from landfill in 2010. 1,723 tonnes of bio waste diverted from landfill in first quarter of  2011.
Monitor the development of new internal markets for recyclables and actively consider the use of recyclable products in line with the new green procurement guidelines	The Council promotes an increasingly sustainable approach to its procurement activities at all times. This includes consideration of environmental, social, and financial factors and requirements, within applicable legislative constraints SDCC is awaiting the national green procurement plan
Implement the Commercial Waste Bye-Laws to ensure that business and industry source separate specific recyclable and organic waste generated on-site	Both the Commercial Food Waste Regulations which came into force in July 2010 as well as the Council’s Commercial Waste Bye Laws are being implemented.
Monitor the quality of recycled waste	Quality Control measures are in place at the Regional MRF. Monitoring of quality control at other facilities is implemented by both the EPA, where appropriate, or the Council’s waste enforcement section.
Encourage source composting	Home Composting Demonstration Site at Airfield in conjunction with DLRCC Rotters Guide to Composting Ballyroan Library during Eco Week Stop Food Waste exhibition during Eco Week in County Hall
Biological Treatment
Progress the delivery of the centralized treatment facilities for Dublin as swiftly as possible	The lead authority for the planning of this facility is Fingal County Council.
Advance the implementation of the brown bin scheme	The Council is no longer involved in the Waste Collection business
Energy Recovery
Continue to develop the infrastructure to capture landfill gas at its facilities	This is ongoing.  There is currently 1 gas engine at Friarstown and 11 at Arthurstown and these meet the current output of landfill gas at both sites.
Landfill
Aim to achieve a landfill gas capture rates of 70-75% are achieved at the existing and proposed landfill facilities to minimize the emissions of methane gas	At present approx 80% of the Arthurstown landfill has been capped with all landfill gas captured at the capped portion of the landfill.  Gas extraction wells and pipework are in place throughout the entire site, however some gas emissions occur from the uncapped portion of the site.  It is estimated that currently in the region of 90% of all gas produced is captured.
Waste Transportation
Optimise the routes traveled by the waste collection vehicles	The Council is no longer involved in the Waste Collection business

Target Indicators	Progress
Tonnes of (methane producing) organic waste diverted from landfill	2,726 tonnes of biodegradable waste diverted from landfill in 2010.                                                                 1,723 tonnes of bio waste diverted from landfill in first quarter of  2011.
Share (%) of waste that is recycled	37.9%

 

Parks & Landscape Services Department

Action	Progress
Indicator 9. Habitat maintenance	% Habitat maintained.   3 % increase. (1700 ha. under maintenance)
Flora & Fauna surveys	Bio Blitz Waterstown Park, Liffey Valley May 2011   687 species recorded giving a density of  10.6 species per hectare.
Tree planting	700 new trees planted in 2010 / 2011 planting season.
Green roof	No new facilities as there is no building work currently ongoing in the parks department
Indicator 10. Population	% Population
Track seasonal changes in plant/animal populations related to meteorological data.	No progress. Progressing this action requires outsourcing for the technical elements of the action
Project to survey distribution of indicator species of butterfly/moth and track changes over time.	Project initiated in Dodder Valley Park under auspices of Heritage Officer.
Continue stringent protection of Natura 2000 sites.	An Appropriate Assessment Screening process was undertaken in September 2009 for the draft County Development Plan to ensure that no impacts on any Natura 2000 site were likely to result from the draft Plan.   The conclusion of the screening assessment was that no impacts on any Natura 2000 sites located either within or outside of the County were deemed likely to arise.   Carry out Appropriate Assessments on any site likely to have an impact on a Natura 2000 site.  In SDCC’s case this would be any site bordering the Liffey or any site bordering a river that flows into the Liffey.                                                                                                             (The rationale is that the pollution of a Natura 2000 site (Dublin Bay) could be caused by the cumulative effect of minor pollution from developments along the Liffey or any river flowing into it.  We are doing this appropriate assessment for the new depot on the Grange Lands as it borders the Griffeen.)
Create a network of corridors linking Natura 2000 sites to each other, to green areas and to South Dublin County conservation areas.	Ongoing as opportunities arise.
Continue to provide parks and open spaces	Ongoing as part of Development Control process. For example the following estates have been taken in charge in 2010.  Deerpark Square, Tallaght 0.24ha Westbourne, Clondalkin 0.03ha Abbeywood, Lucan 0.46ha
Maintain existing streams and rivers as open channels.	Ongoing subject to Development Control and Environmental Services Department requirements. This is ongoing. SDCC has not allowed any significant culverting of rivers or streams in its area preferring to allow such rivers and streams flow in as much as possible in their natural state. The two major topics for rivers and streams at the moment are the ERBD, Water Management Plan and the CFRAM (catchment Flood risk and Assessment Management (Studies). The Water Framework Directive through the ERBD requires that water bodies achieve good status by 2015 or if they are already “good” that they retain this status. In order to achieve this, modifying rivers of streams is not recommended. In addition, the ongoing flood studies, may require certain works to be carried out to prevent flooding, and whilst these may include some hard defenses, in overall terms such works must undergo risk analysis to ensure any negative impacts with regard to the Water Framework Directive are minimized. Retaining rivers and streams in an open course reduces the number of potential blockage locations (culverts) that in turn may cause flooding in any case.
Conduct an evaluation of the impacts and threats of climate change on ongoing planning and development projects	Appropriate Assessment for all new projects now in place.
Maintain valuable mitigation habitats such as wetland and forests	Ongoing in public parks.
Identify opportunities for new habitats, buffer zones and wildlife corridors.	In accordance with the objectives of the Heritage Plan, 14 Parks staff have received training in hedge laying.  This technique is used to preserve the hedgerow and its associated fauna.  Hedge laying will be implemented in a number of parks across the county as part of the upcoming Arboricultural Works Programme.    A hedgerow management plan is being produced for Waterstown Park as part of a Biodiversity Action Plan.
Ensure minimal and appropriately assessed development along riverine zones, including buffer zones	Ongoing in association with Planning Department and Heritage Officer.
Provide new wetlands throughout the county.	Site evaluation is currently in progress for a wetland in Waterstown Park.
Provide integrated constructed wetlands with appropriate planting	One staff member has received training in the design of SUD’s
Continue to plant trees and shrubs throughout public parks, open spaces and streets of the county to maintain and expand the area of tree canopy.	700 new trees planted in 2010 /2011 season.
Use semi permeable paving where possible.	No new development
Continue to promote the rich diversity of habitat and associated flora and fauna which is to be found in the public park system in the county	Bio Blitz May 2011 Ongoing talks by the Park Rangers on the local wildlife.
Promote and develop 'green infrastructure' linkages and wildlife corridors with adjoining local authorities e.g. along the river valleys of the county.	8.5km Grand Canal Way Green Route 2010 in association with Dublin City Council and Waterways Ireland.