A MAJOR blow is on the cards for thousands as Ireland’s biggest bin company is set to rise their prices.
Some 300,000 homes in the Dublin north area will see the price increase from this week.
Panda has raised its prices[/caption]
There are fears that more hikes could be seen in other counties[/caption]
Panda Recycling will be raising the price of bin collection far above inflation rates.
Those in north Co Dublin have been told that Panda will hike up their half-yearly service charge, the general waste per-lift charge, and the recycling per-lift charge.
The new prices come into effect next Saturday.
And there are fears that a similar price change will soon take effect in other Dublin areas as well as parts of the rest of the country.
Wicklow, Meath, Cork, Galway, and Wexford could soon see the same price hike.
From February 1, the half yearly service charge will go from €67.50 to €70.
The price of waste per lift will go from €11.75 to €13.50, while the recycling per lift will increase from €1 to €1.25
The overall charge for customers will now be roughly an extra €20 per year, according to Panda.
A spokesperson for the company said: “We have had to revise our prices to take account of specific areas of increased costs.”
“General recycling charges have increased by 50 per cent for waste companies over the past year, and we are only passing on a portion of this cost to green bin users.”
The new rates come just months after rival waste collection company Greyhound increased their prices.
In November, they served more than 150,000 homes in the Dublin area and raised their prices by ten per cent.
The new plans have been blasted by political opponents, the Social Democrats and Labour.
Deputy leader of the Social Democrats Jennifer Whitemore, the party’s spokesperson on biodiversity and climate, said: “It will now cost €13.50 to have your general waste bin collected by Panda, with the increase for the recycling green bin fee being 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.”
And Dublin central TD for Labour Marie Sherlock called the move “shocking”.
She said: “Over the last 30 months, we’ve seen shocking price hikes in waste collection charges by some of the largest operators.
“For example, Panda’s general waste collection fees have surged by approximately 48 per cent during this time, placing an unfair burden on households already grappling with the rising cost of living.
“Residents and businesses are fed up.
“The success of initiatives like the Deposit Return Scheme in encouraging recycling is very welcome, but this success, which appears to be impacting the margins of bin collection companies, shouldn’t come at the expense of ordinary people.
“Government must intervene to ensure that waste collection charges remain fair and transparent.
“Ireland needs a waste management system that prioritises sustainability and affordability.
“The Government must commit to a comprehensive reform of how waste is collected and processed, ensuring that the system is fit for purpose in the face of growing environmental and economic pressures.”
