16th July 2001

PRESS RELEASE

GREEN PARTY CONDEMS WHEELIE BIN CHAOS

“Complete confusion” are the words used by the Green Party to describe the differing policies adopted by Local Authorities in regard to the new Wheelie Bin service. The Party has criticised Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Council for failing to adopt different charges depending on the amount of rubbish created by different households.

“Why should someone who takes a large 240 Litre bin pay the same as a smaller 120 Litre bin asked Councillor Ciarán Cuffe of the Green Party. “Surely people should pay by weight.”

The Green Party has called for a halving of the annual refuse charge for people who opt for the smaller bin. They support Dublin Corporation who have stated that they plan to introduce a ‘pay by weight’ scheme which may be introduced next year. Oxigen Ltd. apparently has the technology to weigh each bin as it is loaded onto the truck. This means that households who make an efforts to reduce their waste could be rewarded.

Cuffe has also called for more well-maintained ‘Bring Stations’ so that people can bring their glass and plastics to banks within the neighbourhood where they live.

“The real danger with the Wheelie Bins is that people will end up producing more rubbish,  now that they have been issued with the larger bins. They should have been given the small bin first, with the option of the larger one if they requested it.

ENDS

For further information contact:

Ciarán Cuffe  618 3082   or   087 265 2075