All Local Authorities in the country are adopting new waste management Bye-laws to ensure a consistent approach to managing waste across Ireland. The County Kilkenny Waste Management Bye-Laws were adopted in December of last year. A national and local awareness campaign outlining householder responsibility in dealing with waste under the new Bye-Laws was run over the summer and an information brochure was distributed to households within the county.

The Bye-Laws place obligations on waste producers regarding storage, presentation, segregation of waste and contamination prevention. These Bye-laws are hitting at the core of unauthorised dumping which is a scourge on our beautiful city and county, requiring huge amounts of resources and tax payer's money to clean-up each year. It is also a significant problem for private landowners and the farming community with indiscriminate dumping happening in some of our most remote and scenic locations. There is also the environmental damage that is caused to our flora and fauna. All of which flies in the face of the great work undertaken by voluntary organisations up and down the county to enhance their local communities. However, these Bye-Laws will aid the local authority identify offenders and tackle the problem of unauthorised waste collectors (i.e. the man in the van who typically disposes of waste indiscriminately).

The Environment Team of Kilkenny County Council has now commenced door to door inspections whereby householders are required to demonstrate proof that their waste is managed in accordance with the Bye-laws and is disposed of by an approved waste operator or brought by the householder to an authorised waste facility. Regarding the latter householders and commercial premises are being advised to retain receipts for waste disposal for inspection purposes. The focus of the inspections is currently on the city but it will be extended out across the County.

The Bye-laws also require Authorised Waste Collectors serving population centres of over 500 people to provide customers with a third bin to dispose of food waste. Those who home compost or use an authorised waste facility are exempt but will have to prove that their food waste is being disposed of in accordance with the Bye-laws. Households and commercial premises found non-compliant with any requirement of the Bye-laws face a Fixed Penalty Notice of €75 or a fine on conviction of up to €2,500.
Frank Stafford, A/Senior Engineer, Environment, stated that households doing the right thing had nothing to fear from Environmental Enforcement Officers calling to the door and expected that this initiative would be fully supported and welcomed by the community. He also noted that the feedback from the households inspected to-date was quite positive and a view was out there that illegal dumping must stop and recycling rates and the diversion of food waste from landfill and incineration must increase.
The County Kilkenny Waste Management Bye-laws 2018 are available free of charge at the Environment Offices of Kilkenny County Council, County Buildings, John Street, Kilkenny or online at www.kilkennycoco.ie and further information in relation to recycling and food waste is available at www.mywaste.ie.

Questions pertaining to the above can be referred to Frank Stafford, Environment Section, Kilkenny County Council. Email: frank.stafford@kilkennycoco.ie