Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
96. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he can clarify who is responsible for waste management in apartment complexes; the minimum requirements for apartment complex waste management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37827/23]
View answerWaste Collection Companies must hold a waste collection permit in order to collect waste in line with the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007, as amended. Waste collection permits are issued by the National Waste Collection Permit Office.
Under the permit conditions, household waste collectors are obliged to provide a separate receptacle for each waste fraction, namely residual, recyclables and where appropriate, food and bio-waste. Waste from apartments is considered to be household waste and the permit conditions for household waste collection apply.
In addition, all local authorities have also introduced waste bye-laws governing the segregation, storage and presentation of household and commercial waste in their functional area. These bye-laws set out a number of specific provisions for the owners/ management companies of multi-unit developments such as apartment complexes, please see final-waste-presentation-bye-laws-jan-2020-v7.pdf (fingal.ie) for an example of such bye-laws.
Enforcement of waste regulations, waste bye-laws and waste collection permit conditions are a matter for the relevant local authority, who have significant powers under the Regulations to secure compliance by all parties.
A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, Ireland’s National Waste Policy 2020-2025, contains some 200 measures which will be delivered on a phased basis over the lifetime of the Plan, including a number of specific commitments in relation to waste collection for apartment dwellers, as outlined below;
• Working with relevant stakeholders to improve waste segregation in apartment complexes;
• Making the provision of an organic waste bin mandatory as part of a waste collection service for all households;
• Developing a quality waste management assurance scheme for businesses - including apartments serviced by management companies;
• Working with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to make regulatory changes in planning and tenancy laws to ensure apartment dwellers are provided with infrastructure to support food waste segregation.
