On July 1st 2016, Pay By Weight will come into effect for all households in Ireland.
While there are prescribed minimum weight charges in respect of each waste type, Minister Simon Coveney has annoucned his intention to remove the requirement for a minimum charge for recycling waste (green bin).
General waste will cost more than recycling or organic (food/garden) waste. The Pay By Weight public awareness campaign is being rolled out by the three Regional Waste Management Planning Offices on behalf of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government. The public awareness campaign will provide householders with information on the new charging arrangements and how they can best manage their waste. Prices will vary depending on the collector and area.
Speaking on behalf of the three Regional Waste Management Planning Offices, Kevin Swift, Regional Waste Co-ordinator for Connacht-Ulster, said: “The Pay-by-Weight system is being introduced to promote waste prevention, greater segregation of waste and to become part of the solution to global resource problems.
The Regional Waste Plans have set ambitious targets to reduce waste generation in households by 1% per annum over the next five years and to increase current recycling rates from 40% to 50% by 2020. Irish households have played a leading role in placing Ireland among the better performers in Europe in respect of recycling rates and we are confident that these targets can be achieved.”
The campaign is being supported by the Irish Waste Management Association who represent the majority of waste collectors in the country.
Caroline Walsh, Chairperson of the IWMA said “The new charging structure has been introduced by Government to support more sustainable recycling practices across our economy. We are confident that the introduction of Pay by Weight will help Ireland meet EU targets for the recycling and prevention of waste. This new way of calculating waste charges will encourage all of us to be more aware of the waste we are generating in our homes and how we are disposing of it. By actively considering what we are buying and by segregating our waste, as householders we can all better control our waste collection bills. The message is simple, If it’s in the right bin you’re on the right track”.
Chef Catherine Fulvio was on hand at the launch to demonstrate how to minimise food waste by using up leftovers. Commenting on this, she said: “Food waste is a real problem and can cost Irish households up to €700 every year. The good news is that with a few simple changes, you can significantly reduce the amount of food discarded in your home. People can easily reduce their waste and save money by getting into the habit of meal planning, being clever with leftover food and sticking to a strict shopping list when buying groceries.’’