International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

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29/09/09
management of waste and in particular to encourage waste prevention, reuse,
recycling and recovery as set out in, but not limited to, those conditions in
section 34(7) of the Act”
The instruction in the circular suggests that customers can no longer be charged a
flat rate for waste collection services. Instead, customers will pay by volume or weight
of waste placed out for collection. An EPA report reviewing PBU domestic waste
charging in Ireland, identified and defines three types of charging systems in use in
Ireland: volume-based systems, tag-based systems and weight-based systems: 138
� Volume-based systems require householders to subscribe to a weekly bin
collection, for which they pay an annual charge. This system is considered PBU
as householders can select the size of bin they subscribe to; the annual
charge is based on the volume of the bin, with larger bins incurring a higher
annual charge;
� Tag-based systems include both tag-a-bag and tag-a-bin. These involve
householders purchasing tags to attach to their bag or bin with collectors
picking up only those bags and bins with the appropriate tag attached. The
system is considered PBU as householders only pay for waste collection when
they place bags or bins out for collection. In effect, this implies charging on the
basis of frequency;
� Weight-based systems involve householders paying per kilogram of waste
placed out for collection. The waste collector weighs the bin and bills the
householder based on this weight.
Some charges are implemented on the basis of a combination of these systems, e.g.
both based on volume and on weight.
In addition to setting the collection fee based on more than one system above, some
collectors also introduced a standing charge (usually an annual standing charge),
which was payable as a partial element of the total fee structure, in addition to any
variable element. Schemes vary between local authorities but commonly under a PBU
charging system eligible householders are not required to pay a set standing charge
for waste collection, and instead are only charged based on the volume/weight of
waste they present for collection. 139 Although all waste collectors, both public and
private, were given the deadline of 1st January 2005, by which to implement the pay
by volume/weight charging, not all collectors introduced the revised charging
structure, and some continued to levy only a flat rate charge after that date.
138 A. O Callaghan-Platt and A. Davies (2007) A Nationwide Review of Pay-By-Use Domestic Waste
Charges in Ireland, Interim Report to the EPA.
139 EPA (2008) A Nationwide Review of Pay-By-Use (PBU) Domestic Waste Collection Charges in
Ireland, Strive Report Series 9.