Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 121: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of local authorities or local authority areas with a brown bin collection service in 2007, 2008 and 2009; the steps being taken to ensure more local authorities introduce such a service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35809/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The information sought in respect of 2008 and 2009 is not available in my Department. The National Waste Report 2007, published by the EPA in January 2009, reported that brown bin collections were provided to households in thirteen local authority areas in 2007 through both public and private sector service provision. A total of 18,705 tonnes of food and garden waste was collected from householders representing an increase of almost 20% on that collected in 2006. A further 19,611 tonnes of such waste was collected at local authority civic amenity sites in 2007.

Improving our recovery rates for organic waste represents a considerable challenge and one that must be addressed as a matter of urgency if Ireland is to achieve its prescribed diversion targets under the EU Landfill Directive. Meeting these targets will entail doubling the existing levels of diversion of biodegradable municipal waste, which includes organic waste, from landfill by 2010 with exponential increases in diversion in the subsequent target years of 2013 and 2016 respectively. Against this background, it is my intention to issue a further circular to all local authorities aimed at accelerating progress in the roll out of brown bins to households and further promoting the benefits of home composting.

In addition, my Department is currently holding a public consultation on draft regulations which will require the source segregation and appropriate treatment of food waste arising from commercial premises. This, I believe, has the potential to divert significant amounts of food waste from landfill towards more sustainable and environmentally beneficial practices.