Fears dustbin waiver scheme being abused

Cormac Murphy

DUBLIN City Council's bin waiver scheme is being "abused", the local authority has said.

Some recipients are putting out full bins every week, even though there are only one or two householders, it revealed.

This indicates domestic waste from other sources is being placed in the bins.

In a report, the council said there is "anecdotal evidence" the scheme has been abused.

It said waiver households, "recorded by us as occupied by one or two senior citizens presenting full bins each week", have requested second bins.

The council said its policy of not collecting bins from households where waste charges remain unpaid "prompted a surge of waiver applications".

"Since 2001, approximately €60.5m in potential income has been waived in respect of 42,000 qualifying households," it added.

The council also suggested a further reform of the waiver system might be needed.

It stated households where there are three or four people on the dole qualify for a discounted waste service.

"Income, however, in the household may exceed that of a similar household where the sole earner, with an equal number of dependents, does not qualify because he/she comes within the PAYE Tax net," the council pointed out.

A household with a waiver and a 240-litre bin pays an average of €94 a year for the service.

comurphy@herald.ie