No reduction in bin service charges for home compost residents

Householders, who compost at home, instead of putting out a brown bin for collection, will not be allowed any reduction on their bin service charges under new regulations, due to take effect on July 1st.

Signed into law by former Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly, a month before the general election, the regulations also require the introduction of pay-by-weight for green-bin recyclable waste, as well as for grey-bin household waste and brown-bin food and garden waste.

At present, 20 per cent of households have some element of pay by weight and 80 per cent are on flat charges.

The regulations stipulate that waste collection service charges “will not be reduced”, on the basis that a householder “chooses” not to use a brown bin.

The new regulations require minimum charges; 11 cent per kilogramme for grey-bin waste, two cent per kilogramme for recyclable green-bin waste and six cent per kilogramme for brown-bin garden and food waste. * There is a maximum charge of 30 cent per kilogramme. The minister is required to review the charges annually.

Waste companies will also include a standing or service charge on bills, in addition to the weight element. But the service charge cannot be reduced on the basis that a brown bin is not used.

The use of bag and tag systems for waste collection, instead of wheelie bins, will also be confined to areas specifically designated by local authorities.

And householders could face more penalties if they fail to segregate.

Since last year, under household food waste regulations, householders who do not segregate their food waste from general waste can be fined up to €4,000 in the District Court or face up to three months imprisonment.

The new regulations also say a waste collector can impose its own penalty, for non-segregation of waste, for example, by refusing to empty a contaminated bin. The collector must inform customers clearly if it intends doing this.

Waste collection companies have said they are still in the process of working out their charges and will be informing customers of prices in June.

Green bins

Niall Killilea, managing director of The City Bin Co said some customers will require a detailed explanation of the charges.

“A lot of customers like to understand what their bill is going to be every month and for some, this brings in a degree of variability,” he said.

He also said it was “a fallacy” to say the green bin collection is free. Its cost is already “built in” to charges, he said.

“For most customers it is not going to make a huge difference, but those customers who have very heavy usage will be faced with higher waste bills,” he said.

The changes have been criticised by the Green Party, Sinn Féin and People Before Profit.

Sinn Féin has tabled a motion calling on the Dáil to oppose the introduction of the pay-by-weight system. The party has said the changes will discourage recycling of household waste and accelerate the already widespread practice of illegal dumping of rubbish.

The Department of the Environment has said pay-by-weight charges “promotes greater segregation of waste, improves recycling and allows householders to save on their bills”. A spokesman also said the regulations stipulate the service fee cannot be reduced or increased on the basis of non-use or use of the brown bin.

“This measure is aimed at stopping the practice of certain collectors setting an additional high service charge for taking a brown bin because that stream does not suit their business model,” he said.

*This article was amended on May 17th 2016 to correct an error