Latest news with #AlanDillon
Agriland
27-05-2025
- General
- Agriland
Food waste: Contamination remains a concern with brown bins
As Ireland marks its fourth National Food Waste Recycling Week, new research highlights both the progress made in brown bin usage and the ongoing challenge of contamination. Over 200,000 new brown bins were rolled out nationwide since the start of 2024, bringing the total number of brown bin owners across Ireland to around 1.2 million. However, a recent study of over 1,000 adults reveals that despite widespread brown bin usage, contamination remains a concern, potentially compromising the quality of compost and hindering efforts towards a circular economy. Food waste The research, conducted by Empathy Research on behalf of MyWaste, found that while the vast majority of people use their brown bin (84%), confusion and occasional haste can at times lead to incorrect items being disposed of in the brown bin. 33% of survey participants admitted to knowingly putting incorrect items in their brown bin, a figure that rises to 50% among younger adults (18 to 34 year-olds). The research also highlights confusion about garden waste, with younger adults mistakenly believing stones and barbeque coals can be composted. Other common items incorrectly placed in brown bins include general waste (32%), the plastic around vegetables (26%), soft plastics (24%), and food cartons (24%). The primary reason cited for knowingly putting an item in their brown bin incorrectly was being in a hurry (38%), with lack of knowledge about what is accepted in the brown bin being the second most common reason (26%). Brown bin The brown bin service accepts all types of food including raw and cooked meat and fish, plate scrapings, along with fruit and vegetable peelings. Other items that can go into the brown bin include food-soiled paper napkins, paper towels, greasy pizza boxes as well as grass clippings and light garden waste, including hedge clippings, spent compost, and dead plants. To avoid contamination, remove all packaging from food waste and avoid adding large branches, stones, rubble, plastic plant pots, barbeque coals, or other non-compostable materials from your brown bin. Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with responsibility for Circular Economy, Alan Dillon said he was pleased to see continued growth in brown bin usage across the country. 'By working together to reduce food waste in the first instance and minimise contamination thereafter, we can ensure that our food and garden waste is transformed into valuable compost, enriching our soil, supporting sustainable agriculture and reducing our carbon footprint,' he said. Pauline McDonogh, resource efficiency officer at MyWaste, noted that 'contamination remains a challenge', despite increasing brown bin use. This National Food Waste Recycling Week (June 1–8), is launching a new campaign to tackle this problem. 'Putting the wrong items in the brown bin can compromise the recycling process, reduce the level of compost produced. 'Let's all remember: 'No metal, no glass, no plastic makes our brown bin fantastic'. By keeping contaminants out of our brown bins, we can protect our soil and contribute to a circular economy,' McDonogh said.
Irish Independent
21-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Fine Gael criticised for fast fashion clampdown after Shein support
Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney - who is no longer a TD - came under fire after he celebrated the opening of a new Shein office in Dublin in May 2023. He cut the ribbon at the new office and hailed the 'vote of confidence that another global leader has chosen Ireland to launch their EMEA HQ and highlights that we have the environment to attract FDI companies to our shores'. He faced criticism at the time for his support of the company. Global retail giant Shein was previously the subject of a Channel 4 documentary, Untold: Inside the Shein Machine, which accused it of mistreating workers. It alleged that factory workers were allowed to take just one day off every month. It also claimed that up to 75pc of their daily salary was withheld if a worker made a mistake on an item. Last January, a BBC investigation highlighted 75-hour weeks for workers in contravention of Chinese labour laws. Junior minister at the Department of Enterprise Alan Dillon has now launched a public consultation on circular textiles on how to make it easier for people to get rid of used clothes 'in a more sustainable manner'. He said he is now developing a national policy on the issue. 'We are producing and consuming and dumping clothes and producing textiles in a completely insane manner,' the minister said on RTÉ. 'Our approach to our use of textiles and clothing needs to begin firstly with consumer behaviour and each one of us must think about the amount of clothes we purchase and how long we wear them and how we dispose of them.' ADVERTISEMENT He said 65pc of used textiles mostly are incinerated or go to landfill. 'The textile industry operates in a linear take, make, waste model.' But the Labour party has now accused Fine Gael of a U-turn on fast fashion. 'Fine Gael clearly have no interest in taking on what is not only a planet crisis, but a people crisis,' said Labour TD Ciaran Ahern. 'Fast fashion's ecological footprint is enormous and changes are needed to incentivise sustainable consumption patterns.'
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Utah's strong trade relationship with Ireland highlighted by visit from Irish minister of state
Telling Utah business leaders to 'Let geography not be the barrier for companies,' Alan Dillon, the minister of state at Ireland's Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, spoke at the World Trade Center Utah on Thursday. On Saturday, Dillon will serve as grand marshal of Salt Lake City's St. Patrick's Day parade. Dillon's visit comes shortly after the creation of the Utah-Ireland Trade Commission, and Dillon highlighted that strong relationship between his country and Utah. Dillon's visit also coincided with the U.S. and European Union imposing ever increasing tariffs on one another, and came just one day after the Irish prime minister visited the White House. The minister was joined by Ireland's consul general to the South Western United States, Marcella Smyth, and Stephen Keogh from Ireland's Industrial Development Agency. Smyth said that Dillon's visit is the first time Utah has had a Irish government minister visit for St. Patrick's Day. The minister spoke about the strong relationship between Utah and Ireland and how that relationship can continue to grow as the two continue to invest in and trade with each other. Jonathan Freedman, CEO of World Trade Center Utah, shared that Utah has a trade surplus with Ireland and that the country is Utah's 15th largest trade partner. 'This is Utah's moment to shine where we want to and to show up and be great partners,' Freedman said. Dillon said that when he arrived in the state he was 'struck by the similarities between Ireland and Utah.' These similarities include high success in life science and health care. Dillon also emphasized why Ireland is so attractive to do business with, especially because of its young, educated and multilingual workforce. He pointed out the country's, ambition and resilience, and its commitment to innovation, education and sustainability. 'This investment not only creates jobs but enhance the overall economic landscape,' the minister said about how working with Ireland benefits Utah. SB106, passed during the just finished 2025 Utah legislative session, establishes a trade commission between Utah and Ireland within the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity. The bill passed through the Legislature last week. The commission will have 11 members, six from the Utah Legislature and five appointed by the office's executive director. Jim Grover from the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, said that this commission will help to promote and encourage the things that Utah is already doing with Ireland to build on that. Dillon added that this commission will be very important for both Utah and Ireland. This week the EU announced it will be imposing 50% tariffs on U.S. whiskey and other U.S. products starting on April 1. These tariffs were announced in response to the U.S. imposing tariffs on steel aluminum and other products. In retaliation to EU's tariffs on American products, Trump threatened to impose 200% tariffs on wine and champagne from EU members. About the recent tariff battle between the U.S. and the EU, Dillon said his country regrets the current U.S. policy of increasing protectionism and tariffs. The minister said tariffs are economically counterproductive, adding that they increase inflation, interrupt supply chains and can cost consumers on both sides. He added that both the U.S. and the EU are going to be hurt by these tariffs. Dillon said Ireland's government is currently reviewing what the impact of the tariffs will be and that leaders are still unsure which sectors will be impacted. Ireland is working with EU partners to coordinate a response. Dillon said that the EU will engage as a collective whole in relation to any response to the tariffs. Freedman also spoke about the tariffs, saying that 'it's never been more important for Utah to work with foreign companies,' and that he wants Utah to continue to be a good partner. He also shared that these tariffs impact real jobs for Utahns; 25% of jobs in Utah are dependent on international trade. Ireland Prime Minister Micheál Martin visited the White House Wednesday as part of a St. Patrick's Day celebration and met with Trump in the Oval Office. According to Dillon, Martin's visit demonstrated the warmth between the U.S. and strong decades-long relationship between the two countries. He added that Ireland wants to continue to build on that relationship. Dillon said the U.S. and the EU should 'work together rather than against each other.'
