Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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407. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if it is compulsory for a household to use a separate brown biodegradable waste bin provided by their waste collection company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38331/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Under the European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-waste) Regulations 2015, household waste collectors are required to provide, or arrange for the provision of, a separate collection service for food waste from households in designated brown bin areas. In accordance with the Regulatory Impact Assessment prepared for these Regulations,the roll-out of the brown bin has been phased in on a progressive basis, commencing on 1st July 2013. The timetable for when the regulations take effect is as follows:

- 1st July 2013 for population centres greater than 25,000 persons;

- 31st December 2013 for population centres greater than 20,000 persons;

- 1st July 2014 for population centres greater than 10,000 persons;

- 1st July 2015 for population centres greater than 1,500 persons, and

- 1st July 2016 for population centres greater than 500 persons.

Households in these areas are required by the Regulations to ensure that food waste is source segregated and collected by an authorised waste collector. Alternatively, it can be recovered by home composting or delivered by the householder to an authorised facility.

The provision of a brown bin collection service, where it is technically and environmentally practical to do so, continues to be monitored by my Department.