Dublin: Commencing on New Year’s Day, new legislation in Ireland ensures that every household will be entitled to a brown bin recycling service. Currently, 69% of households have access to a brown bin, and those who haven’t yet availed of the service are encouraged to contact their waste collector to arrange for one.
However, households opting out of the brown bin service will need to provide a written explanation detailing their plans for disposing of food waste. Conor Walsh, Secretary of the Irish Waste Management Association, clarified that this amendment expands an existing regulation in place for a decade.
Previously limited to urban areas, the brown bin service will now extend to all of Ireland, including rural areas, encompassing around 400,000 additional people. The phased implementation began on January 1, with Walsh emphasising that the brown bin isn’t a lifestyle choice but a legal obligation.
Walsh highlighted the importance of segregating food waste for environmental benefits, such as compost and biogas production. The legislation, finalized with waste companies a week ago, will be phased in over the coming months. The legal obligation, which initially covered food waste, now extends to garden waste across the country, necessitating at least monthly collections from March to October.
While many already have garden waste collections through large brown bins, around 150,000 houses use a caddy exclusively for food waste. These households will now be entitled to a paid garden waste collection service, at least monthly. Waste companies will notify customers about the upcoming changes, emphasising the importance of utilising the brown bin to comply with legal requirements and enhance waste management practices.
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