Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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583. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if contractors (details supplied) will be reimbursed for refitting their machinery if a pay-by-weight waste collection system is not made law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39718/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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My Department is currently reviewing, together with the regulatory authorities and industry representatives, the introduction of an incentivised pricing system, such as pay by weight, for household waste collection. The review is due to be completed by July 2017. Incentivised pricing aims to encourage householders to prevent, reduce and segregate their waste and also facilitates the industry in providing householders with a range of options to manage their waste costs.

Under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2015 household kerbside waste mustbe weighed by appropriate weighing systems and this weight reported to the householder at a frequency of at least once a month and that only vehicles fitted with approved weighing mechanisms are authorised to collect such waste.

Regardless of the form of incentivised pricing structure which is ultimately introduced, the weighing and reporting of weights are vital elements of waste management policy and legislation which will drive the prevention and segregation of waste. Such data will also greatly assist and inform current and future developers of policy and legislation and help ensure that we deliver on the State's waste statistics and reporting obligations.