Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 168: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the failure of the current regulatory regime for recycling which has resulted in protracted delays in the introduction of the collection of plastics as part of the household green bin collection in the Dublin area due to lack of funding from industry; if he will take this matter up with industry or alter regulations to ensure that such a service is provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11607/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The recycling of post-consumer plastic beverage containers and other types of plastic packaging is generally more problematic than for other packaging materials due to the light weight to volume ratio, sorting and pre-treatment requirements, high end market specifications and the associated costs involved. Accordingly, the recycling rate of plastic packaging is generally lower than that for other packaging materials.

The local and regional waste management plans now being implemented provide for a significantly increased network of bring facilities to facilitate increased collection of recyclables, including plastic bottles. Receptacles for the deposit of such containers are already in place in a number of areas. The incorporation of plastic containers in the kerbside green bin collection services — at present provided to over 560,000 households nationally and up to now confined to paper-board, newsprint, composite beverage cartons and aluminium and steel cans — offers significant potential for increased recovery of plastic containers. The inclusion of plastic containers in such kerbside collection services has recently been piloted in a couple of areas. My Department is at present actively engaging with local authorities, Repak and other relevant stakeholders regarding the expanded incorporation of plastic containers in the kerbside collection services.