1,000% increase in councils' bin charge revenues

Dublin local authorities have been taking in up to €2.2 million a week in bin charge payments following the announcement by the councils that they would be operating a "no payment, no collection" policy.

All four local authorities received significant increases in revenue for September, with the highest yield going to South Dublin which has received €2.5 million in the last two and a half weeks.

This represents an increase of more than 1,000 per cent on the similar period last year when revenue amounted to about €86,600 per week.

There are some 75,000 households in the council's area and it estimates that in excess of 85 percent are compliant with the charge or waiver scheme. The council will today raffle a Mercedes C180 as a prize for those who have paid on time.

Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council took in €2.8 million in a four-week period from September 19 last. The revenue compares with a figure of €309,000 for the same period last year - an increase of about 900 per cent. The council estimates that more than 90 per cent of its 65,000 households are now compliant. The council will raffle a Rover car amongst those who pay on time.

In Dublin City Council where there are almost 170,000 households, €1.2 million was collected in September, a figure which compares with just €267,000 for September 2002.

While this represents an increase of about 450 per cent, the high number of households would appear to suggest the amount of revenue should be higher. A spokeswoman for the council said however that money had been due in March and July and was already well paid up. There were also significant amounts of waivers in the city council's area.

In north County Dublin, Fingal Council operates a tag system and revenue is based on sales receipts. Figures for last year were not immediately available yesterday, but the council said in August of this year it took in €292,000 in receipts. In September this figure rose to €568,000, an increase of almost 100 per cent. While Fingal would appear to be the council which generates the least revenue to pay for its waste management system a spokesman Mr Gilbert Power, told The Irish Times that the tag system, in allowing householders to reduce their costs, also resulted in less waste.

The council has observed that tagged wheelie bins are to a large extent now only being left out every second week. Householders are conscious that placing waste in the bin has a cost, while placing it in the green recycling bin, or bringing it to "bring centres" can reduce costs.