Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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190. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the level of separate collection of compostable litter in place; and the plans in place to collect more compostable litter separately. [22920/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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Local authorities are responsible for keeping public places that are under their control, including public roads, clear of litter as far as is practicably possible. This includes arranging cleansing programmes, as well as providing and emptying litter bins. Each local authority must prepare a litter management plan for its area, setting out its objectives to prevent and control litter, along with measures to encourage public awareness of litter. The plan must also set out measures and arrangements by which the local authority intends to achieve these objectives. In preparing its litter management plan, the authority must consult with local community and voluntary interests.

The European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-Waste) Regulations 2015 are designed to promote the segregation and recovery of household food waste. The Regulations impose obligations on both householders and waste collectors. Under articles 4 and 5 of the Regulations, household waste collectors are required to provide, or arrange for the provision of, a separate collection service for organic waste from households in communities greater than 500 persons. Householders are obliged to segregate their food waste and make it available for separate collection. Compostable packaging, including coffee cups can also be disposed of through a food waste collection service and recycled into quality compost.

An organic waste collection service is now being provided in every county across all local authority areas. Ireland has an established nationwide collection and organic recycling infrastructure with the capacity to collect, transport and recycle compostable material. It should be noted that only products which are independently certified to I.S. EN 13432 are deemed compostable and suitable for processing in Irish composting plants.