Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 April 2023
72. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications how he intends to maximise compost and recyclable waste; if he recognises that charges and increasing charges are a disincentive in this regard, but are a logical consequence of the privatisation of waste collection services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19967/23]
View answerHow does the Minister intend to maximise compost and recyclable waste if he recognises increasing charges are a disincentive in this regard, but are also a logical consequence of the privatisation of waste collection services?
A range of measures are already in place to support greater levels of waste segregation and recycling and other measures will soon be introduced. The landfill levy is an important and highly successful such measure which has played an important part in Ireland’s improved waste performance since its introduction in 2002.
The Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act provides for a number of further measures from the waste action plan for a circular economy. These include incentivised waste collection charging in the commercial sector from 1 July; a recovery levy on municipal waste recovery operations at municipal landfills, waste to energy plants, co-incineration plants and the export of waste; the expansion of household bio-waste collection services; and the introduction of a deposit return scheme for single use PET plastic bottles and aluminium and steel cans, which will go live in the first quarter of 2024. These measures will assist in encouraging greater waste minimisation and improved source segregation of waste by customers across the State and contribute to achieving challenging EU targets for municipal waste recycling of 55% by 2025, 60% by 2030 and 65% by 2035.
In terms of pricing, the waste management market is serviced by private companies, where prices charged are matters between those companies and their customers, subject to compliance with all applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, including contract and consumer legislation. It should be noted that most collectors have traditionally charged for the collection of recycling or compost bins, but they are required to do so at a rate below that which they charge for residual waste collection.
While the Minister has no role in setting prices in a private market, given the significant market reforms due to be delivered this year to which I have referred, he has however instructed his officials to instruct the price monitoring group to monitor whether fair and transparent pricing is consistent in the market, in line with commitments given in the waste action plan for a circular economy.
The news that Panda waste is introducing a new €3.80 charge for brown bin lifts in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis and at a time when we are trying to encourage people to segregate their waste appropriately landed like a lead balloon. There was a significant response from customers of the company and people generally, outlining the probable consequences of that measure.
There is a real risk that there will be more inappropriate use of bins and dumping and a reduction in appropriate segregation, reusing and recycling. There was a commitment from the Taoiseach regarding a review of waste collection. Is that ongoing? When will it be completed?
I appreciate that many people were shocked when one of the largest waste collectors introduced a charge for something for which it had previously not been charging. Nobody wishes to pay for something they previously did not pay for.
The Deputy asked how I intend to maximise compost and recyclable waste. I do not wish to maximise compost and recyclable waste. I wish to minimise it. The national policy is to cut food waste by 50% by 2030, which is line with EU policy. Without nitpicking, the question is how do I maximise the amount of waste created. I wish to minimise it. After we have minimised the quantity of waste, within that structure, I wish to make sure that the highest proportion of anything residual is recycled or composted. That is the policy. We are at a point where 130 kg per year of food waste is generated by each household. That food waste, whether it is collected for free or not, costs money. It is worth approximately €700 per year of cost to households. Our primary policy is to reduce that 130 kg down to 65 kg, which will cut the costs to households by €350 per year.
The Minister of State knows well - when I read the question to him, I spotted that as well - that my point is about maximising the appropriate segregation of waste and, of course, reducing the amount of waste. The Minister of State outlined the policy, which is to reduce waste, in the first instance, and ensure that it is appropriately segregated. I am asking the Minister of State how, in the name of God, charging people at a rate they cannot afford for compost and recyclable waste is intended to encourage them to use their recycle waste and the compost waste bins. That is what I am asking the Minister of State. It is directly related to the fact this is a for-profit model. It is about the bottom line of private companies, in the first instance. How will the Minister of State intervene to ensure we have a model that appropriately responds to the policy?
There is a group that did exist before I was appointed, namely, the price monitoring group. Its job is to examine the market and see if changes are needed. I have asked the group to reform. It includes an economist, people from the Central Statistics Office, CSO, and consumer experts. They have been asked to play the role of mystery shopper to find out what the prices are on the market and to recommend if we need to put in any changes. Although it is a private market, we have collection licences and there are conditions on those. One is not allowed to offer flat fees for black-bin waste. One must charge less for collecting recycled waste than for collecting brown-bin waste. We can make changes where they are needed. I will examine the issue carefully and see what we can do. In the meantime, any householders concerned about the cost of their food waste should have a look at stopfoodwaste.ie, which provides a very useful set of suggestions for how to minimise the volume of food waste being produced in a house.
