Written answers
Thursday, 23 June 2016
Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
Waste Management
Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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148. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if there is a legal obligation on all waste collection providers, to furnish households with bins for black, brown and green waste collection; and the recourse households have, if their provider refuses to provide one or more of these bins. [17835/16]
Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Waste collection in Ireland is subject to compliance with applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, primarily the Waste Management Act 1996 (as amended) and conditions attached to each waste collector’s collection permit issued under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007 (as amended). Where a permit holder collects household kerbside waste, the permit holder shall provide a separate receptacle for each waste fraction namely, residual, recyclables and, where appropriate, food and bio-waste.
Under the European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-waste) Regulations 2015, household waste collectors are required to provide, or arrange for the provision of, a separate collection service for food waste from households in designated brown bin areas.
In accordance with the Regulatory Impact Assessment prepared for these Regulations, the roll-out of the brown bin has been phased in on a progressive basis, commencing on 1st July 2013. The timetable for when the regulations take effect is as follows:
- 1st July 2013 for population centres greater than 25,000 persons;
- 31st December 2013 for population centres greater than 20,000 persons;
- 1st July 2014 for population centres greater than 10,000 persons;
- 1st July 2015 for population centres greater than 1,500 persons, and
- 1st July 2016 for population centres greater than 500 persons.
By July of this year, brown bins will have been rolled out to most towns and villages across the country. Notwithstanding this fact, where it is technically and environmentally practical to do so, it is my intention, within the coming months, to introduce the measures required to ensure a brown-bin service is available to all householders wishing to avail of one, regardless of the size of the communities in which they live.
Issues concerning the enforcement of the Regulations are a matter for the local authorities, who have significant powers under the Regulations to secure compliance by both waste collectors and householders.
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