Compare Waste and Bin Collection Plans in Ireland

What this guide covers

Household waste collection in Ireland is provided by private, permitted collectors rather than a single national service, so what is available to you and what it costs both depend on your address. This guide sets out how the system works, how to check which collectors actually serve you, how the main pricing models differ, what to check on any plan beyond the headline price, and what belongs in each waste stream.

For a worked example comparing bin collection costs once you know who serves your address, see our guide to how to compare bin collection costs using your household's usage.

Choosing suitable bin capacity, not just the headline price

Two households on the same plan can have very different bills once bin size and how often each bin is actually presented are taken into account. A larger bin collected less often can cost less overall than a smaller bin that needs to go out, and be charged for, more frequently.

• Match bin size to household size. Collectors typically offer general waste bins in more than one size. A bin that is consistently overfull points to needing either a larger bin or a more frequent collection, not necessarily a different collector.
• Consider collection frequency separately from bin size. A smaller bin collected weekly may suit a household better, and cost less overall, than a larger bin collected fortnightly, depending on how the plan charges for each lift.
• Reducing general waste volume changes the maths. Using the food waste and recycling streams properly usually reduces what needs to go in general waste considerably, which can justify a smaller bin or fewer lifts on a pay by lift or pay by weight plan.
• Compare the realistic annual cost, not the base price. Add your typical number of lifts, or expected weight, to the standing charge to get a figure that reflects how your household actually uses the service, rather than comparing headline prices alone.

Food waste obligations and brown bin alternatives

Since 1 January 2024, waste collectors have been required to offer every household they serve a food waste collection, with an exception for households on offshore islands. Once this service is available to you, you are required to segregate food waste from general waste and recycling rather than putting it in either.

If a brown bin collection genuinely is not yet available at your address, or if you would rather not use one, home composting is a recognised alternative for garden and some food waste, though it does not suit every property or every type of food waste, particularly cooked food and meat. Where you are unsure whether a food waste collection applies to you, ask your collector directly rather than assuming an exemption.

Bulky waste, electrical items, batteries, paint and hazardous waste

These items need to be kept out of ordinary household bins, both because they are commonly not accepted and because some genuinely pose a safety or environmental risk.

• Electrical items (WEEE). Retailers selling electrical or electronic equipment are legally required to take back an old item free of charge when you buy a similar new one. Electrical items can also be dropped off free at a civic amenity site and must never go in a household bin.
• Batteries. Retailers selling batteries generally take back similar used batteries with no purchase necessary, and battery recycling points are widely available, including at many supermarkets and recycling centres.
• Paint and other household chemicals. Many civic amenity sites accept paint and household chemicals, sometimes on specific hazardous waste days rather than year round, so check your local authority's current arrangement before assuming a site takes them on any visit.
• Bulky items such as furniture and mattresses. Some collectors offer a bulky item collection for an additional charge, and civic amenity sites generally accept these items, often for a fee based on size or type. Compare both options before choosing one.

Switching collector, moving home and missed collections

These situations are common but each involves a slightly different process, so it helps to know what to expect before you need to act.

• Switching collector. Confirm your notice period and any charge for ending your current contract, then arrange bins with the new collector before cancelling the old one to avoid a gap in service.
• Moving home. Waste collection does not automatically transfer with you. Check which collectors serve your new address separately, and confirm with your current collector what happens to your account and any bins at the old address.
• Missed collections. Contact your collector directly, since this is a service issue between you and them rather than something a local authority typically resolves. Keep a record of the date if it happens repeatedly.
• Disposing of an old bin. Ask your outgoing collector whether they collect the bin back, since bins are often supplied on loan rather than owned outright. Do not simply abandon a bin, since it may still belong to your previous collector.

Go deeper on a related topic

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