Cleaning up the mess left by bin-raiding as people search for bottles and cans to use in the Deposit Return Scheme, cost Dublin City Council half a million euro last year, as they were forced to divert resources to clean up already-collected rubbish.
A briefing document from the DCC’s waste management section said staff had been forced by the bin-raids to clean up waste from city streets twice over, RTÉ reported.
The document estimated some three hours in every 24-hour cleaning cycle were being diverted to deal with the situation – and that the bin surrounds for the disposal of cand and bottles had little impact.
Dublin City Council had spent more than €115,000 replacing locks on ‘Big Belly’ bins at a cost of €995 per bin, the briefing said, while the council had placed surrounds on a total of 110 bins at a cost of around €40,000.
The bin surrounds were being used for general litter disposal such as coffee cups and cigarettes, the Council found.
In addition to those costs, the estimated cost of diverted staff and fleet time for additional clean-ups is approximately €351,000 per annum, the Council said.
In total, the costs to Dublin City Council since the Return scheme was launched is in the order of €857,000.
“These figures are indicative but represent a reasonable estimate of the direct costs currently being incurred … and are likely to continue unless a solution is reached to this problem,” the city authorities said.
The report pointed the “negative visual impact” on the streets of the capital as a result of the bin raids, adding that litter created a reduced perception of safety and had a “potential impact on tourism and visitor experience”.
“The primary issue arises from the fact that returnable bottles and cans have become a monetary commodity, creating an incentive for individuals to recover containers from public litter bins,” it explained.
A spokesperson told RTÉ : “In parallel, the City Council is progressing plans to remove the current derogation that permits the presentation of residential and commercial waste in plastic bags.
“Evidence has shown that this method contributes to ongoing litter and hygiene issues, as bags are frequently opened by individuals seeking deposit return items, in addition to problems caused by vermin and environmental exposure.”
Previously, Richard Shakespeare, the chief executive of Dublin City Council (DCC), drew attention to “bin scavenging” across the city, saying: “On some occasions, I’ve seen them tip the bag upside down, and then we’re saying, ‘Oh the seagulls’. No, it’s not the seagulls. This is two-legged scavenging as opposed to winged scavenging.”
“It’s the law of unintended consequences… some of them are very vulnerable people, some of them look very respectable people, but they’re obviously doing it for a reason,” he said. Bins were being damaged by the raids, with locks broken for access.
A spokesperson for Re-turn said: “Re-turn is having ongoing discussions with Dublin City Council and is collaborating with the Council. Our shared objective is cleaner streets, higher recycling rates and practical solutions that work for Dublin city.