COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, March 09, 2015
QUESTION NO.14
QUESTION: Councillor D. Looney
To ask the Chief Executive to outline who is responsible for the debris caused by wheelie bins falling on public roads, in particular during periods of windy weather, and for subsequent clean-ups; and to make a statement on how he plans to engage with waste disposal companies and other parties to resolve the inadvertent littering resultant from this avoidable issue?
REPLY:
Each household is responsible for the storage, separation and presentation of their own household waste using the appropriate waste container.
South Dublin County Council Household Waste Bye-Laws 2012, states the following in relation to obligation place on the holder of waste
- Storage of Waste, Section 6(3) - A holder shall maintain all Appropriate Waste Containers in such condition and state of repair so that the household waste placed therein shall not cause environmental pollution."
- Presentation of Waste for Collection, Section 8(5) - A holder shall not present household waste for collection before the evening preceding the designated collection day and must be removed from the prescribed place no later that the evening of the designated collection date.
- Presentation of Waste for Collection, Section 8(7) – The holder of any household waste presented for collection shall promptly remove and collect all matter which may spill or escape from the Appropriate Waste Container so presented, howsoever such matter shall spill or escape.
- Presentation of Waste for Collection, Section 8(8) – A holder shall present household waste for collection at a prescribed place and shall not cause or permit waste to be presented for collection in a manner that would cause environmental pollution.
The European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-waste) Regulations 2013 came into force in April 2013. These regulations impose obligations on both the householders and waste collectors. Householders are now obliged to segregate their food waste. Householders may compost the food waste at home or bring it to authorised treatment facilities (such as civic amenity sites) themselves thus reducing the amount of waste being left out for collection and also the frequency of collections.
Waste collectors are required to provide a separate collection service for household food waste.
The issue of inadvertent littering resultant from kerbside collection is acknowledged and will be examined in the context of the drafting of the new Litter Management Plan and Litter Bye-Laws.
Similarly the Department of Environment Community and Local Government intends to introduce a new legislation framework to reform the regulation of the collection of household waste. New Household Waste Regulations are currently being drafted.