Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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190. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if it will still be compulsory to weigh bins where the nil cent per kilo option is employed for recyclable waste (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18179/16]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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192. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will allow an extra period of time for all waste collector businesses to complete the conversion of their lorries to pay-by-weight functioning given that some, particularly smaller entities, have found it excessively expensive and have been in the queue for said works to be carried out and against an uncertain backdrop regarding its commencement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18181/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 190 and 192 together.

Under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007, as amended, there has been a requirement since 1 July 2015 for collectors to weigh household waste collected at kerbside, using approved weighing instruments and to make this information available to the householder. The same refuse collection vehicles are often used to collect general waste and recyclable material, so in many instances the vehicle will have a weighing mechanism on board.

With regard to waste management costs, I engaged actively and intensively with representatives of the waste industry and have agreed a clear way forward that results in customers paying no more than their current rate for presenting the same amount of waste over the next 12 months - by means of a price freeze to end-June 2017.

It is my intention that customers from 1 January, 2017 will be able to see, through a dual billing process, details in their bills about the amount of waste they are disposing of, their costs under the continuation of their current price plan and details of the comparative pay-by-weight charge. This will necessitate the weighing of waste collected, a requirement which has already been in place for 12 months.