The latest price hikes announced by waste provider Panda have been described as completely unjustified and unacceptable by Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore.
Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on climate and biodiversity, said:
“According to reports today, thousands of Panda’s domestic customers in parts of Dublin are set to be hit with price rises from this weekend. This will include an increase to the half-yearly service fee, as well as the general waste and recycling per-lift charge.
“It will now cost €13.50 to have your general waste bin collected by Panda, with the increase for the recycling green bin fee way above the rate of inflation. It is anticipated that these price rises will be extended to other parts of the country in due course.
“This is the type of price gouging we can expect when services that were once provided by the State are farmed out to private enterprise. This model results in householders being left at the mercy of the market as multiple waste collection companies compete against each other and dictate the charges.
“The Social Democrats believe that waste collection should revert as an essential public service and gradually be brought back under the direct management and control of local authorities. That is why we have proposed the re-municipalisation of this service, starting with the phasing out of side-by-side domestic waste competition within municipal areas.
“Waste management has a crucial role to play in helping us reach our climate action goals. The government needs to do more if we want to move Ireland from a linear economy to a circular one. This can be done by setting more ambitious recycling and composting targets, and developing a stronger recovery industry.”
January 28, 2025