Cork households face €20 hike in bin charges

BIN charges for households in Co Cork using the council’s refuse collection service are set to rise by about €20 next year.

The county council’s standing charge is set to be increased by €55 but it will be offset by a five cent reduction in the charge per kilo of waste collected under its pay-by-weight scheme.

The adjustments are expected to result in an increase of about €20 in the average household’s bin charges — the equivalent of about 38 cent per week — from €307 last year to a projected average of €327 next year.

About 74% of the council’s bin service customers fall within the average.

This means significant extra costs to the remaining 26% of households.

County manager Martin Riordan confirmed last night the plans to cut 10% off the charge per kilo of waste collected next year — reducing it from 50 cent per kilo to 45 cent per kilo.

However, he also plans to increase the fixed standing charge from €125 to €180.

The reduction in the variable charge rewards householders for diligence in recycling, said Mr Riordan.

“We must operate a refuse and recycling service that pays for itself while remaining competitive in the market place.

“Cork County Council’s pay-by-weight system continues to provide customers with the incentive to reduce weight,” he said.

“Cork County Council customers will on average pay 82% of the charge they paid in 2004.”

Projected figures for next year show the average household will present 328 kilos of waste for collection over the year.

If the new charges are introduced at next Friday’s council budget meeting, it will mean these households will pay a total of €327.60.

A council spokesman said the local authority’s scale of charges compares very favourably with private sector providers.

Country Clean charges €370, Wiser charges €360 and Greenstar, which also provides a glass recyclable collection service, charges €324 for its 240 litre bin service, and €264 for its 140 litre bin service.

Since the introduction of the council’s pay-by-weight scheme in 2005, the average amount of waste presented for collection has reduced year-on-year. This is expected to continue in 2008.

The proposed price changes will be debated by councillors at Monday’s council meeting before a decision is made by Mr Riordan at next Friday’s budget meeting.