COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, October 12, 2015
QUESTION NO.2
QUESTION: Councillor J. Lahart
To ask the Chief Executive to comment on the report carried in media over the summer on the disparity of collection services offered by private waste collectors nationally - some offer the collection of glass as a service - and whether this Council could compel service providers to do likewise
REPLY:
The waste policy document 'Waste - A Resource Opportunity' which was launched by Minister Hogan in July 2012 made reference to waste collections and the need to establish minimum levels of service on such collections with regard to the various waste streams collected. The Waste Management (Collection Permit)(Amendment) Regulations 2015 SI 197 of 2015 have now been introduced which require kerbside collectors of waste to provide minimum levels of service, the service frequencies specified in the new regulations are as follows -
- Residual Waste Bin—in line with the European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-waste) Regulations 2015.
- Recyclable Waste Bin — at least every fortnight.
- Food & Bio Waste Bin —in line with the European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-waste) Regulations 2015.
It should be noted that the European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-Waste) Regulations 2015 (SI 191 0f 2015) require waste collectors to provide a separate collection of household food waste to their customers. The new Waste Management (Collection Permit)(Amendment) Regulations also include requirements for collectors to establish a customer charter and to weigh every collection of waste which they provide. These new regulations took effect on 1 July 2015, further regulations are to be introduced requiring the introduction of pay by weight for kerbside collections and these are due to take effect from 1 July 2016. The intention of the new regulations is to establish a uniformity of service and a minimum acceptable standard in the area of household waste collections. The new regulations do not however include any requirement to collect glass at the kerbside, the current national policy with regard to the collection of household glass is that this service is provided through community recycling facilities such as bring banks and civic amenity sites.