Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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224. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government why there is a disparity between refuse providers in that some charge for recyclables while others do not; if he will address this in the review he is to undertake in the coming 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18453/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In an open market , it has always been a matter for the waste collector to set charges at the level they consider to be competitive, in compliance with the requirements of relevant legislation. Excessive pricing by individual companies will offer the opportunity for rival operators to provide their services at a cheaper price.

In response to recent concerns regarding reported price increases for some customers, I have engaged actively with representatives of the waste industry to ensure that waste collection charges are fair and transparent. I have agreed a clear way forward that results in customers paying no more than they are currently paying for waste over the next 12 months - by means of a price freeze to end-June 2017, to prepare better for the change-over to pay-by-weight charging. An intensive public awareness, information and promotion campaign will be rolled out over the coming months to support customers in understanding the new system, how they can change their waste management behaviour and manage better their waste costs under a pay-by-weight system.

Furthermore, the Government has set a minimum mandatory fee per kg for the different types of household waste: 11 cent for black bin (residual waste), 6 cent for brown bin (organic). However, in order to encourage further improvement in recycling, I decided that a zero cent minimum fee per kg may be charged for green bins (recyclate).

In light of the above, it is unlikely that the form of charging for the collection of recyclable waste will form part of the review which is scheduled to take place over the coming 12 months.