Planned green bin charges will result in illegal dumping
By Aideen O'Flaherty
INSTANCES of illegal dumping in the county will increase if planned charges for the collection of green bins go ahead, a local councillor has warned.
Waste companies Panda and City Bin will be implementing a green recycling bin charge this month, following the increased costs of processing waste to be recycled.
Rubbish dumped in the Dublin Mountains
Sarah Holland, Sinn Fein councillor for Rathfarnham, tabled a motion at a council meeting this week where she advised that the council should write to the Minister for the Environment, Denis Naughten, and instruct him to “halt the introduction of charges for green bins” and to incentivise recycling.
Cllr Holland said: “Imposing extra charges on customers will only lead to further instances of illegal dumping, and our mountains are already awash with plastics.”
Explaining how other countries have successfully incentivised recycling, she said: “Deposit Return Schemes are used successfully in 38 countries across the EU.
“They mostly consist of ‘reverse vending machines’, into which recyclable materials are inserted and a small cash sum is dispensed.
“The British announced the launch of their similar scheme at the end of March. The retailers who supply this packaging are then responsible for the recycling of it.
“It is important that retailers take ownership of the amount of packaging they provide. Lidl, for example, have substantially cut down on fruit and veg packaging and should be applauded for this.”
Common-sense approach
Cllr Holland added: “I want the minister to take a common-sense approach with this. Extra charges will not incentivise people to recycle more. We need to see positive action on this.”
Cllr Holland’s motion was unanimously passed, meaning that now a letter will be issued to Minister Naughten outlining these concerns, and the councillors will be notified when a reply is received from him.
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