Dubliners will have to prove how they dispose of waste

Householders will have to prove how they dispose of their waste or face fines or court action under new bylaws.The new measures to tackle illegal dumping and curb the activities of the private waste sector are being introduced by Dublin City Council.

Restrictions on when private bin collectors can pick up waste will also be imposed under the bylaws, which make it illegal for waste collectors to send out lorries outside the times specified by the council.

The new rules, approved by councillors this week, require all householders and businesses to have their waste collected by “an approved collector” or disposed of at a proper waste facility. The provision aims to tackle the mounting problem of illegally dumped waste.

The council will have the power to call to residents and demand they produce evidence of how they dispose of their waste. Unless they have the permission of the council, residents must have a contract with a waste provider.

Fines
On-the-spot fines of €75 can be imposed by the council for people who fail to prove they are disposing of their waste properly. Householders could face court action if they fail to pay.

Assistant city manager Seamus Lyons said enforcement would be fundamental to dealing with the problem of illegally dumped waste. "The bylaws will give us the power to target people that we suspect are involved in illegal dumping. Up to now we didn't have anything to force them to give us an answer as to how they are dealing with their waste. If they refuse to satisfy us as to how waste is being dealt with, we have the power to take them to court."

Measures are also being introduced to tackle the disruption caused by the competing companies involved in waste collection since the council withdrew from the service last year. Before January 2012 almost all householders in Dublin had their waste collected by council operatives on set days and within a limited time frame. The privatisation of the sector has seen a number of companies enter the market who collect waste at different times of the day and night.

The bylaws will restrict waste collection in the city centre from businesses and households to between 7pm and midnight and bins must not be left out for collection before 5pm.