COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, February 09, 2009

QUESTION NO. 7

QUESTION: Councillor R. Dowds

To ask the Manager for an update on the re-cycling collection for South County Dublin covering the following items:

(a) The company which is now carrying out the collection?

(b) Where the recycleable material is sent?

(c) The money recovered from recycleables?

(d) The cost to the County of the recycling service?

(e) The percentage of the material in the recycling bins that is actually recycled and what happens to the rest?

REPLY:

A new Green Bin contract has been in place since 1st January 2009 and while aspects of the details of that contract are commercially sensitive, the information sought is set out bwlow -

a) Greyhound Waste are the company that are now carrying out the dry recyclables collection for the Dublin Region.

b) The materials, once collected, are delivered to and processed at the Dublin Authorities new Regional Materials Recovery Facility at Ballymount which was opened by the Minister for the Enviornment on Monday 19th January.   Materials will be recycled in an environmentally sound and economic way.  This new facility has enabled the inclusion of all clean plastics in the green bin which, it is anticipated, will have a substantial impact on the diversion from landfill.

c) Income from the recycled material is incorporated in the contract pricing structure in order to minimise contract costs the the Dublin Authorities. This income varies in line with international market conditions.  Monthly reports are provided which set out the price secured for recyclables.

d) The Council's budget 2009 inludes a provision in the amount of approx €9 million for the green bin service. 

e) With the introduction of a new contractor and the commisioning of the Regional MRF, current contamination rates are not available at present.  The January figure will be available in mid February and on a monthly basis from Greyhound from then on - as was the case with the previous contractor.