COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SPECIAL MEETING OF COUNTY COUNCIL
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
MOTION NO. 11
MOTION: Councillor M. Johansson
That the elected members of this council, recognising the importance of recycling in tackling the climate crisis, condemn increases in fees for recycling/green bins by local waste management providers, and re-iterate our support for the re-nationalisation of waste management provision which should be regarded as a public service.
REPORT:
The report given to Motion 1 on the agenda of the March 2019 Council meeting gave a summary of the report from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in September 2018 and summarised the recommendations and position at the time as set out below. The position has not changed since the date of issue of the CCPC report. Further developments at a national level are awaited and this Council along with other local authorities and the regional waste management offices will respond as required.
- Recommendation: Establish an economic regulator for household waste collection, with consideration to be given to the function of the regulator in relation to economic licensing, data collection and analysis, market design and consumer protection.
- Recommendation: A review is undertaken of the Government’s 2012 policy document, “A Resource Opportunity: Waste Management Policy in Ireland”. The CCPC suggests that this review could be usefully informed by the evidence collected in the course of this study and that the review be conducted in the context of the recommendation to establish an economic regulator.
- Recommendation: Ensure that all of the State’s resources are co-ordinated to deliver optimal outcomes for this market. The introduction of a new regulatory regime should also have a central objective to use these existing bodies in a manner that creates efficiencies, wherever possible. Consideration should also be given to utilising and extending existing structures to create a new regulatory regime.
The recommendations which are contained in the CCPC report are being examined at national level, this Council along with other local authorities and the Regional Waste Offices will play whatever part is required of them following the outcome of a national review and recommendations.
In that regard the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE) recently held a public consultation process on the development of a new Waste Action Plan for Ireland as part of the move to a more Circular Economy where resources are kept in use for as long as possible and then recycled or reused at the end of their service life. This consultation aims to help enable Ireland develop a new waste policy / circular economy plan to meet the emerging challenges and build on the targets set out in the Climate Action Plan. Details of this public consultation process can be found at the following website; https://www.dccae.gov.ie/en-ie/environment/consultations/Pages/Public-Consultation-Waste-Action-Plan-for-a-Circular-Economy.aspx
The Public Consultation closed at 5pm on Friday 21st February 2020.
The Department published the Waste Action Policy Consulation Breakdown of Responses on 27th May 2020, the breakdown of these 276 responses are available on the website at the following link; https://www.dccae.gov.ie/en-ie/environment/consultations/Documents/26/submissions/Waste_Action_Policy_Consultation_Breakdown_of_Responses.pdf
The chapter on Municipal Waste (Household and Commercial) received the most comments, amounting to 15.5% of the total. The chapter on Municipal Waste (Household and Commercial) received the most comments, amounting to 15.5% of the total. It is expected that a new policy document will be published shortly.