Watchdog urges landfill levies to be tripled

THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has urged a threefold increase in landfill levies to persuade householders to reduce the amount of rubbish they throw out.

An EPA-funded study discovered the current levy of €20 per tonne of rubbish was of little deterrent to households, even though the cost is at least partially passed on to them through waste collection charges.

EPA economist Dr John Curtis said even an increase of 50% next year, and further hefty increases to €75 over the following four years, would do little good as it would only reduce the amount of waste households put out for landfill by 25,000 tonnes.