Poorer Dublin households to be charged for waste collection

DUBLIN’S POOR are to face waste collection charges of up to €208 a year next year, the first time they will have to pay for having their bins collected since charges were introduced.

Households on low incomes who qualify for a waiver have been exempt from paying to have their refuse collected since the charges were introduced in 2001.

However, Dublin city management has decided they should start paying waste charges next year.

The management has also decided to raise waste charges for all other householders next year after leaving them at 2008 rates last year.

In 2010, households not in receipt of a waiver will have to pay an annual standing charge of €96 plus €6 each time their 240 litre “grey” general refuse bin is collected. Those with a smaller 140 litre grey bin will pay a €78 annual charge and €3.60 per lift.

The charge for every lift of the “brown” food-waste bin will remain at €2, and the charge for bag labels for households not suited to wheelie bins will be €3.

In 2009, the standing charge was €91 for large grey bins and €5.70 per lift. Households with small grey bins were charged €74 and €3.40 per lift, and bag labels were €2.90.

The 40,000 households in receipt of waivers will not have to pay the standing charge. However, they will have to pay the same per lift charges as those not in receipt of waivers.

Black and brown bins are collected on alternate weeks. However, the council said the average household presents its bins for collection about 60 per cent of the time. By its calculations households pay an average of €94 a year in lift charges for the large black bin, €56 for the small black bin, and €31 for their brown bin collections.

Families on waivers will have to pay €125 a year if they stick to the 60 per cent presentation rate, but if they put their bins out each time the collection is available they will be charged €208.

Statistics compiled by the city council show that under the old full waiver system poorer households were not recycling.

“There was no reduction in the number of times people were putting out their black bin as opposed to the green and brown for people on a waiver,” said Labour city council Kevin Humphreys.

However, he said the charge the city manager intended to introduce was too high.

“I believe people should be encouraged to reduce and recycle waste, but charging them for every second or third collection would have been fairer. A family man who has been hit with a reduction in social welfare is going to be badly affected by this.”

The new charges could generate some €500,000 for the cash-strapped council, which has to run the city with a 12 per cent reduction in the local government grant next year. However, it is likely that many poorer households will be unable or will refuse to pay.

The introduction of the charges was met with several years of protests, during which Socialists MEP Joe Higgins, then a TD, and Fingal councillor Clare Daly were jailed. It is likely there will be strong resistance to the new charges.

Councillors cannot determine waste charges, but could vote not to pass the 2010 budget next Monday because of their inclusion. Failure to pass the budget could result in the council being dissolved and replaced by a Government-appointed commissioner. This has not happened since 1969.