Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent)
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586. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is pursuing the policy of freezing the introduction of pay by weight for waste collection in 2017; and the measures he has put in place to ensure the situation which occurred in 2016 will not happen again (details supplied). [24651/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The charges applied by waste management companies are a matter between those companies and their customers, subject to compliance with all applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, including contract and consumer legislation.  My Department is currently reviewing, together with the regulatory authorities and industry representatives, the introduction of an incentivised system which encourages people to prevent, reduce and segregate their waste. This approach is in line with Government waste policy to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill for waste disposal and will also facilitate the provision of a range of options for people to manage their waste costs.

I have already indicated quite clearly that any such system will encompass more than just the previously proposed pay-by-weight per-kilogramme model. It is important to acknowledge that many people are already on plans that encourage waste prevention and segregation, including some which contain an element of weight-based charging.

As previously pointed out, I do not have a role in setting the level of charges for waste collection. I would, however, like to see a system in operation whereby the prevention and segregation of waste from households was encouraged so that we reduce our reliance on landfills around the country, and enable people to manage their waste costs.