European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio Waste) Regulations 2013
Household Food Waste Regulations ( S I 71 of 2013) European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio Waste) Regulations 2013
The new ‘Household Food and Bio-Waste Regulations 2013’ were signed into law on 21st February 2013 and come into effect on 1st July 2013. The regulations require that all household food waste must be segregated and that the waste collector must provide a ‘Brown Bin’ for this waste.
What does that mean for me?
This means that, if you live in a population greater than 20,000 persons, i.e. Portlaoise & Graiguecullen after 31 December 2013, you must segregate your food waste from the general waste stream. Other urban areas will be included, based on their population, at a later stage from July 2014 onwards.
• 1st July 2013 for agglomerations > 25,000 persons;
• 31st December 2013 for agglomerations > 20,000 persons;
• 1st July 2014 for agglomerations > 10,000 persons;
• 1st July 2015 for agglomerations > 1,500 persons, and
• 1st July 2016 for agglomerations > 500 persons
What must I do with my food waste?
Once segregated from the general waste stream you may either:
• subject the food waste to a home composting process or
• bring the food to an authorised facility for treatment or
• provide it for collection by an authorised waste collector.
A householder may NOT
• Deposit food waste in the residual waste collection
• Use purpose built mechanical devices to shred or hydrate or otherwise alter the structure of food waste for the purposes of facilitating its discharge in waste water to a service connection, drain or sewer.
What are the implications for Waste Collectors?
All authorised waste collectors, collecting household waste in the Portlaoise and Graiguecullen areas, must provide a separate food waste collection service or ‘Brown Bin’ for their customers.