Galway householders lead the way on recycling

Galway achieved a 70 per cent recycling rate on a shoestring budget – because householders had the vision to show both politicians and local authority managers what was possible.

That’s what Deputy Catherine Connolly told the Dail last week in her contribution to the heated debate on pay-per-weight refuse charges.

BY TIM RYAN

She said that it was the people who made the difference in Galway – not the charges or the Council or any regulation of the market.

“The people of Galway showed politicians and, more importantly, management what was possible. They led us by the nose,” she said.

“When we were told by engineers, whose reports cost millions of euros, that we could not achieve zero waste and that we could only get to 45% recycling, we reached 70% recycling on a shoestring budget on a pilot project. On an ongoing basis, we diverted 56% from landfill on a shoestring budget.

“The people said: ‘We are not passive consumers, we are not people to be told, we will tell you, we want to be part of society, we know how important it is’, and they led the way. What happened? The service was privatised under Government policy,” she added.

Deputy Connolly said that Minister Denis Naughten should “stop insulting us, telling us about fake news, stating that the market is the only way forward and indicating that he is being forced to regulate a market that, of its nature, cannot be regulated.”

Some services are essential, she said.

“They are essential for any civilised, democratic society. We should not seek to divide and conquer on these issues and we should not seek to distinguish the poor people and those who need incontinence sheets from those who do not. This is an essential service. If the Minister does not accept that, perhaps he might consider what was done in Galway, a matter to which I have referred ad nauseam in this House since I was elected,” said the Galway West TD

Minister of State Seán Kyne told the House that twelve months ago, there was a plan to introduce pay-by-weight per kilogram as the only pricing model which would be available to customers of household waste collection.

This caused some concern as it appeared that certain collectors were using the new initiative as an opportunity to increase prices and the Government made a decision not to introduce pay-by-weight at that time.

“A voluntary agreement was reached with waste operators to hold the current prices and plans for twelve months,” he said.

“The potential introduction of pay-by-weight was to be reviewed to inform decisions in regard to the charging arrangements beyond July 1 2017.”

The Government has decided to proceed with a new framework that will give waste collectors the flexibility to continue to offer, or to introduce, a range of incentivised pricing options which encourage householders to reduce and separate their waste while choosing the service price offering that best suits their circumstances and allows them to manage their costs, he said.

These options include elements or combinations of per lift, per kilogramme, weight bands, weight allowances and standing charges. This offers the widest choice to consumers to help them manage their costs.

“Approximately half of households are already on these types of offerings, so the public is familiar with these options,” he added.

An annual support of €75 will be introduced for persons with lifelong or long-term medical incontinence, he said. This will help people meet the average annual cost of disposal of incontinence products.

The details and arrangements of this support will be finalised later this year after further consultation with the stakeholder groups.