Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the high costs charged to consumers for the disposal of CFL light bulbs; if he has plans to increase the number of facilities where a person can return used domestic bulbs for the purpose of recycling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4357/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Under the WEEE Directive, which governs the recovery and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), retailers are required by law to take back waste CFLs and fluorescent lamps free of charge on a one-for-one, like-for-like basis from householders. Where replacement fluorescent tubes and CFLs are bought over the counter, retailers must take back the old product in-store, either at the time of sale or within a maximum of 15 days of the date of sale. Where a replacement CFL or fluorescent tube is being delivered, the seller of the product must take back the old lamp on delivery of the new lamp. Each local authority must also accept household waste CFLs and fluorescent tubes free of charge at its civic amenity facilities. Retailers can have their premises designated as 'WEEE collection points' or deposit household WEEE free of charge at local authority civic amenity facilities. There are currently in excess of 600 'WEEE collection points' including both retail outlets and civic amenity facilities.

The determination of additional waste management infrastructure requirements is a matter for local authorities in the context of the preparation of the statutory waste management plans provided for in the Waste Management Acts. It is a matter for the retail sector to determine the number of retail outlets from which electrical goods including CFLs are made available for sale and as a consequence the number of retail outlets where WEEE can be deposited free of charge.

The recovery and recycling of all WEEE placed on the market since 13 August 2005, when the Directive came into effect, must be funded by the relevant producers, and is organised through two collective compliance schemes which operate a Producer Responsibility Initiative on behalf of the producers.

The WEEE Directive also allows for Environmental Management Costs (EMCs) which are included in the price of various products, including CFLs and fluorescent lamps, to fund the recovery and recycling of WEEE which was put on the market before 13 August 2005. These EMCs are set by the industry-based WEEE Register Society Limited which has an independent Committee of Management. This body is monitoring implementation of the scheme and has adjusted the EMCs periodically to ensure that the not-for-profit principle is observed and that the EMCs only cover the costs incurred in the environmentally sound management of WEEE. The EMCs are not imposed by or remitted to the Government and my Department has no function in the matter. The WEEE Register is currently carrying out a comprehensive review of EMCs and it is expected that this will be completed in the first half of 2008.