COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, September 26, 2016

QUESTION NO.17

QUESTION: Councillor D. O'Brien

To ask the Chief Executive for a report on the number of illegal clothes bins that have been reported or removed from bring centres in all LEA's. Broke down by LEA for 2015 and so far in 2016.

REPLY:

As clothes/textiles are reusable items they are not classified as a waste and fall outside the Waste Regulation system (Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007 as amended and Waste Management (Facility Permit & Registration) Regulations 2007 as amended) which controls waste operators in the South Dublin County Council region. A textile bank service provider does not require a Waste Facility Permit or Certificate of Registration for a Textile Recycling Bank.

Textile recycling banks sited on Council owned/controlled property without authorisation( permission/agreement of parties) would be classified as illegal and the service provider is requested to remove the identified unit from the site.

South Dublin County Council provide for Textile collection at the Ballymount Civic Amenity, Ballymount Avenue  and work in the spirit of partnership  with three providers where the service providers demonstrate a commitment to operate their services in compliance with the requirements of the Local Authority. In certain areas textile recycling operators locate their units adjacent to bring banks which are under the control of the Local authority. As many users are likely to drive the Council is generally positively disposed to the location of such facilities in the vicinity of the bring banks. However a situation cannot be allowed to arise whereby the provision of the Council’s recycling service might in any way be compromised by the provision of a textile recycling bank which is not maintained or not provided by genuine collectors or charities.

Textile banks can be located on private property and it is the responsibility of the landowner to agree occupancy terms with the service provider. The Local Authority cannot instigate measures to remove textile banks from the private lands.

In 2016: Two units removed from Sean Walsh Park by Public Realm as contents regularly being removed and scattered on adjacent ground . 

In 2015: Service providers asked to remove three units from Corcagh Park as no authorisation provided for their occupancy. One of the units was burnt internally and the units were attracting fly tipping.