The Office of the Ombudsman uses cookies to help us make this website better. Some may have been set already. We do not use Cookies to find out the identities of those visiting our website. To find out more about our use of Cookies you can visit our Privacy and Cookies statement. Note, however, if you continue to use the site, your consent to accept cookies is implied.

Home  /  Publications  /  Investigation Reports  /  Local Authorities  /  Investigation into the operation by Local Authorities of Waiver Schemes for Refuse Collection Charges
 

Waste Collection Systems and Charges

Service Providers

Traditionally, local authorities played the key role in the collection and disposal of household waste. In 1998 the Department of the Environment’s policy document “Changing Our Ways” highlighted the scope for increased participation by the private sector in the area of waste management.  The returns from the 23 local authorities included in my survey (See Table 1 at Appendix 2), indicate that the household waste collection service is provided entirely by private operators in 35% or eight of the local authorities surveyed, and entirely by the local authority in 17% or four of the local authorities surveyed. (In three of these local authorities, private operators provide a collection service to private apartment complexes only.) A waste collection service is provided by both the local authority and private operators in 48% or 11 of the local authorities surveyed, with private operators having a market share of between 15% and 32%.

Collection Charges

Under Section 52 of the Protection of the Environment Act 2003, the determination of waste management charges is a matter for the relevant local authority, where it provides the service. Where a private operator provides the collection service, it is a matter for that operator to determine charges.

In 2005, in order to reflect the “polluter pays principle” and to incentivise households to recycle more of their waste, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government asked waste collection service providers to move to a system of use-based charging. There are currently three systems of pay-by-use charges: volume-based system, tag-based system and weight-based system:

  • In the volume-based system householders pay an annual fixed charge for a weekly collection based on the size of the bin, with lower charges for smaller sized bins.
  • Users of the tag-based system purchase tags to attach to their bin or refuse bag and only pay when they present the bin or bag for collection.
  • Under the weight-based system the waste collector weighs the waste presented for collection and bills the householder per kilogram of waste collected.

 

As can be seen from the Table at Appendix 2, the majority of the local authorities surveyed employ a combination of a fixed charge and a pay-by-use charge while the weight-based system is provided by three of the local authorities surveyed.

The estimated average annual charge to householders for the waste collection service provided by the local authorities surveyed ranges from €192 in Fingal and Westmeath to €516 in Wexford County, while the charge for the private collection service ranges from €200 in Westmeath to €450 in Limerick County Council.

Previous: Acknowledgements
Next: Waste Waiver Schemes