Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 October 2016
155. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the legislation that was introduced to take effect of the agreement with regard to the 12-month delay on introducing the pay-by-weight waste collection system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30997/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra156. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a waste collection company (details supplied) which operates in County Sligo is charging its customers by the weight of their waste bins, even after the 12-month period for delaying its introduction was introduced; if this is allowed; the way in which this can be addressed going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31038/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra157. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to ensure that a mechanism will be put in place by waste companies to identify to customers that their bins are the weight that they are being charged for, as there are fears that the weight of bins will be overstated and there will be no proof to counter this claim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31039/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 155 to 157, inclusive, together.
The charges applied by waste management companies are a matter between those companies and their customers, subject to compliance with all applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, including contract and consumer legislation.
As the waste industry began releasing its proposed prices under pay-by-weight in June, 2016, the Government relayed its concern to the industry regarding the reported escalation of waste bills for customers of certain companies. On foot of this, my Department engaged with representatives of the waste industry to agree a way forward that results in customers paying no more for the same level of service than they were paying in June 2016 for waste collection over the 12 months to 1 July 2017. Legislation (S.I. No. 346 of 2016 ) was signed on 30 June, 2016 to remove mandatory pay-by-weight charging for household waste collection. However, it is still open to a company to charge on a pay-by-weight basis and if they are charging the same fee for the same level of service then this does not run contrary to the agreement. Indeed, many companies already had a pay-by-weight element to their charging structure before the agreement was reached and their customers are quite happy with this approach.
The responsibility for ensuring the accuracy of the weighing instruments for the purposes of charging for waste collection on a weight basis rests with the National Standards Authority of Ireland’s (NSAI’s) Legal Metrology inspectors. The NSAI has provided information on its role in this regard, which is available to download at: https://www.nsai.ie/Pay-By-Weight-bin-charges-system.aspx
