Around 120 households in the Ballybay urban area will hear from Monaghan County Council in the coming weeks because the council's records suggest they have no waste collection service, Northern Sound reported.
What the "reverse register" is
For the past 12 months, the council's environmental services staff have been recording Eircodes in what is known as a "reverse register", a list of premises in the county with no apparent waste collection service. Amendments to the Waste Management Act 1996, made through the Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022, allow local authorities to set up and maintain this kind of register.
According to the council, the register works by gathering information from waste collectors and facility operators, which they can be required to provide, so the council can identify homes and businesses whose waste arrangements may not comply with the law. Ballybay is the first area where households will be contacted.
What the rules say
Under the County of Monaghan waste presentation bye-laws, which came into effect on 6 January 2020, every household, apartment and commercial premises must be able to show it is managing its waste legally. That means either:
- having a contract with a permitted waste collector (sharing bins is allowed, but you need proof of the agreement); or
- showing regular use of an authorised waste facility. The council lists the Scotch Corner and Carrickmacross recycling centres as the authorised facilities in the county.
Not complying can lead to a fixed penalty notice of up to €75, issued by the council or a garda, and a fine of up to €2,500 on conviction. Using an unauthorised waste collector can bring a fine of up to €3,000, the council says.
If you get a letter
The council asks people who receive a letter to fill in its online Household Waste Self-Declaration Form. You will need:
- your address and contact details;
- if you have a kerbside service, the name of your collector and your customer ID number;
- if you bring waste to a facility yourself, receipts showing regular use;
- if you share bins, a completed "Proof of Agreement" form.
You can also reply by email or by post to the Environmental Services Department at the council's Civic Centre in Carrickmacross. The council says information is handled under its GDPR data protection guidelines.
Who can collect waste in Monaghan
The council lists four authorised waste collectors for County Monaghan: Blue Dolphin Environmental, Mahony Environmental Cleansing, Oxigen Environmental and Starrus Eco Holdings. Householders can check whether a collector holds a valid permit with the National Waste Collection Permit Office.
The council says the bye-laws exist to reduce illegal dumping and backyard burning and to make sure waste is properly separated and recycled. It has not said which areas will be contacted after Ballybay.
