Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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79. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he receives reports on the extent to which the pricing structure of bin collections incentivise reduce and recycle through the differential between the cost of black, brown and green collections; if domestic waste is currently being appropriately segregated into the respective streams; whether such segregation is delivering lower total volumes of waste and lower levels of contamination in the respective streams; and if any changes in price structures are anticipated. [37354/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The waste management market is serviced by private companies, in accordance with the requirements of their waste collection permits as issued by the National Waste Collection Permit Office (NWCPO).

The terms and conditions of contracts, including pricing plans, are matters between those companies and their customers, subject to compliance with all applicable legislation. However, in line with commitments given in A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, my officials are currently in the process of arranging for ongoing monitoring of the waste collection market to examine whether fair and transparent pricing is consistent in the market and how that information is disclosed to customers.

My officials are also working with the National Waste Collection Permit Office (NWCPO) to carry out a study on incentivised charging structures in the waste collection market. This study will examine what, if any, improvements are needed to ensure that waste collection systems are fully incentivising waste prevention and improved source segregation practices.

The EPA is the competent authority for the collation of national waste statistics and reports annually on Ireland’s performance against a range of European waste directive and regulations. These reports are available at National Waste Statistics | Environmental Protection Agency (epa.ie).