Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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160. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department has plans to ensure access to domestic compost bins to persons in rural areas who are unable to get them through their provider; if not, if there is a plan to compensate persons who incur the additional cost of having to dispose their compostable waste in general waste bins; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9867/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, published in September 2020, commits to a number of specific measures to support the expansion of the brown bin service to all households in the State, including:

- Continuing to commit resources nationally to the prevention of food waste and to the regulation of optimal food waste collection and treatment practices;

- Making the provision of an organic waste bin mandatory as part of a waste collection service for all households;

- Through changes to waste collection permits, and working with the Local Authority sector, ensuring that every householder and business has access to a reliable, clean and sustainable way of managing food waste;

- Working to improve waste segregation in the commercial sector, including an awareness campaign and enforcement actions requiring segregated bins and incentivised charging to ensure waste minimisation and proper segregation;

- Using National Waste Collection Permit Office and other ‘brown bin’ data to develop strategies and investigate how new technology can support greater usage.

My officials have  commenced the process of engaging with the key stakeholders, including the waste collection industry, with a view to delivering on these commitments in as short a time frame as possible. Part of the work will ensure that delivery of the national rollout of organic bins is consistent with other measures in the Plan.