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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Nov 2003

Vol. 575 No. 4

Written Answers. - Waste Management.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

84 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government his proposals for a move to a pay by weight system of refuse charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28457/03]

Direct user charges for household waste collection services are widely applied throughout Europe, particularly in the context of increasing awareness of the financial and environmental cost of waste generation and of encouraging waste reduction and recycling. They give effect to the polluter pays principle, which is reflected in both EU legislation and the Waste Management Act 1996.

Government waste policy recognises that, as a matter of equity, and to directly incentivise waste prevention-minimisation and recycling, the level of waste charges imposed on households and businesses, either directly or through gate fees, should be based on usage. Accordingly, the Government expects that all local authorities will move towards introducing weight-volume related charging to the fullest extent possible within the three-year target period up to 2005. My Department recently wrote to local authorities to establish the extent to which such charging approaches are already in operation, in both local authority and private collection systems, and, where necessary, the plans in place in order to meet the 2005 policy objective. I will be considering what further action may be necessary following the completion of my Department's examination of the responses received.
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