Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council sent a letter recently to householders giving details of the introduction of The Pay by Weight System for the Collection of Waste.

Details of the Environmental Waste Charges for 2005 which includes three elements to the Pay By Weight Charge are as follows:

1. Fixed standing charge of €80 per annum per household availing of the service plus
2. Charge per bin lift @ €4.00 per lift for each 140/240 litre bin or €18 for each 1,100 litre bin plus 
3. Charge per Kilogramme of household waste collected @ 20 cent per Kilogramme
   

• The standing charge covers the cost of providing waste collection, waste disposal and recycling facilities.
• There is a lift charge every time your bin is lifted. A customer can save by minimizing the number of times the bin is presented for collection.
• There is a weight charge for every Kilogramme of waste collected.  A customer can save by minimizing waste and diverting waste to recycling.

From 1st January 2005 wheeled bins are collected as normal. There is no immediate change to collection days or times. During collection, the truck mounted system records the lift and the weight of waste collected from your bin.

A bill for €350 (based on average household usage) will issue early in 2005 and may be paid in full by 28th February 2005 or paid in two equal instalments of €175 each, payable on 28th February 2005 and 31st July 2005. Please see insert showing examples of charges. Details of the 2005 Environmental Waste Charges Private Members Draw are given below.

Throughout the year, depending on their usage, householders may accumulate credit or debit on their account depending on the number of occasions the bin is presented for collection and the weight lifted.
Four statements will issue to all householders for 2005 in April, July, October and January 2006 giving details of number of lifts and weight, enabling them to monitor their progress. Any debit or credit adjustment will be applied to the householder’s first 2006 Environmental Waste Charge bill.

5,000 additional wheelie bins are currently being delivered. When you receive your bin, please complete and return the attached form to ensure the correct bin number is allocated to your account. However, there will be a small number of householders where the Council considers that it is not practicable to provide a Pay By Weight collection and a bag collection service will be provided at a fixed annual charge of €350 per household. 

Householders who have not been provided with a wheelie bin can, if they wish to avail of the Pay By Weight system, apply to the Council at Tel: 205 4810 or environ@dlrcoco.ie for a wheelie bin. All requests will be granted where possible. The same waiver scheme (see below) will apply to bags as well as pay by weight i.e. €80 standing charge and additional €120, where appropriate.

If you live in a multi occupancy dwelling, other than a local authority multi occupancy dwelling, and use shared bins, the charge will be payable by the Management Company or owner who will be responsible for the apportionment of any debit/credit balances to householders arising at the end of the year. Existing individual accounts will be discontinued from 1st January 2005. Pay by Weight can only be applied to this type of dwelling where the communal bill is paid through a Management Company or owner.

In the case of any other groups wishing to use shared bins, this is subject to the approval of the County Council and subject to the following conditions:

1. All householders involved will have to sign an agreement accepting that the Environmental Waste Charges applicable to the households will be shared equally between them.
   
2. The Council requires a single householder to be nominated to accept responsibility for payment of the full charge on behalf of all the householders involved.
   
3. If conditions 1 and 2 above are not acceptable to all of the householders involved then individual bins and accounts will be issued instead of shared bins.   

A Waiver Scheme will be in place for householders who qualify on income grounds. There will be changes in the waiver scheme in 2005. From January 2005 only the standing charge of €80 will be waived and customers with waivers will have to pay the lift charges and the weight charges. An additional waiver of €120 will apply where a household in receipt of an €80 waiver (total waiver for the year €200) comprises of:

• A couple and 4 or more dependent children only
  
• A single parent and 3 or more dependent children only.

In the case of applicants who live in multi-occupancy premises, the charge has to be paid by the Management Company/Owner but the occupier will apply directly to the Council for the waiver (and refund).

A waiver application form will be enclosed in the first billing of 2005. Persons who consider they may be eligible are strongly advised to complete a waiver application form and submit it to the Council.