Waste Management

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 May 2023

Wednesday, 31 May 2023

Questions (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

25. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress to date on the Government commitment to expand the role of the NWCPO to become a market collection oversight body to include data analysis on the operation of the market, oversight of charging structures and penalties, oversight of service provision, management of consumer rights and a complaint escalation mechanism and data protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26634/23]

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

26. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress to date on the Government commitment to expand the role of the Price Monitoring Group, as noted in A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26635/23]

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

27. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications how the data being collected by the Price Monitoring Group are informing the data analysis role of the NWCPO, as noted in A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26636/23]

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

28. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress to date on the review of existing incentivised charging systems as noted in A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26637/23]

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

29. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress to date in the standardisation of incentivised pricing structures for recycling and waste prevent, as noted in A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26638/23]

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

30. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress to date on the Government commitment to require waste collectors to ensure staff are fully trained to provide accurate pricing information to the public, as noted in A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26639/23]

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

31. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress to date on the Government commitment to strengthen the customer service charter with penalties, including fines, as noted in A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26640/23]

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

32. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress to date on the Government commitment to facilitate households and businesses to easily access their waste data and pricing plan, as noted in A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26641/23]

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

33. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress to date on the Government commitment to require waste collection firms to ensure they provide accurate and timely pricing information to the public, as noted in A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26642/23]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications

I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 to 33, inclusive, together.

The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, published in September 2020, contains some 200 measures which will be delivered on a phased basis over the 5-year lifetime of the plan, including a number of measures which specifically address the need to empower households and businesses through better consumer protection, including;

• Expanding the role of the National Waste Collection Permit Office (NWCPO) to become a collection market oversight body;

• Expanding the role of the Price Monitoring Group (PMG) to monitor more of the market and examine whether fair and transparent pricing is consistent in the market and how it is disclosed to customers;

• Reviewing existing incentivised charging systems with a view to standardising these systems and ensuring that they incentivise waste prevention and recycling; and

• Householders and businesses will be facilitated to easily access their waste data and pricing plan to allow for comparison with other collectors.

My Department is currently working with the 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.

In addition, given the the significant market reforms due to be delivered this year, including the introduction of incentivised waste collection charging in the commercial sector, the introduction of a "recovery levy" and the nationwide expansion of kerbside bio-waste collections, I have instructed my officials to reinstitute the Price Monitoring Group. My Department will shortly issue requests for tenders for the role of Chair and for a market monitoring company to gather data on the market.

The results of the above study, and reports of the PMG, will be subjected to a detailed examination by my officials as part of the ongoing process of successfully delivering on the remaining relevant measures in the WAPCE .

Question No. 26 answered with Question No. 25.

Question No. 27 answered with Question No. 25.

Question No. 28 answered with Question No. 25.

Question No. 29 answered with Question No. 25.

Question No. 30 answered with Question No. 25.

Question No. 31 answered with Question No. 25.

Question No. 32 answered with Question No. 25.

Question No. 33 answered with Question No. 25.