COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, September 14, 2009

MOTION NO.5

MOTION: Councillor C. Jones

That this Council calls for a resolution to the difficulties that residents experience when their bin collections are scheduled on Monday and then continually interrupted by Bank Holiday service gaps. Further that this Council will explore the possibility of rotating the schedule to ensure that no particular residents take more than their fare share of lapses in service.

REPORT:

As previously reported, the decision to discontinue refuse collections on or in lieu of bank/public holidays was taken in the context of generally low grey bin presentation rates, average presentation rates of approximately 33% on normal collections days falling to less than 15% for collections on or in lieu of bank/public holidays, combined with unsustainable costs of €30,000 per bank holiday to provide these collections.  The average presentation rates show that the majority of customers are not overly affected with opportunities to present grey bins reduced by approximately only 10% on some route.  This will also assist in increasing awareness of recycling and waste minimisation while customers with large families are provided with second bins where appropriate and additionally, the Ballymount Civic Amenity remains open over bank holiday weekends question for customers who feel that they have to dispose of refuse immediately.  

 In addition, there continues to be a green bin collection for bank holidays in keeping with theprinciples of the Waste Management Plan and the reduction of waste to landfill.  This service was increased to a fortnightly collection together with an expansion of the items accepted in the green bin resulting in a significant transfer of waste from the black bin to the green bin with green bin presentation rates of 70%.

Notwithstanding the above information, in the context of an overall review of the service, including the required introduction of the brown bin alternative,  there will be an examination of specific presentation rates on the Monday routes most affected with a view to route amendments/rotation if necessary.