Above: Bulky household waste items.
Since Dublin’s waste collection service went green and private, many householders find themselves at a loss when it comes to the disposal of the large and bulky household items that we all have to get rid of from time to time.
In the past, this service was offered by the various councils, who would collect bulky household items in different areas about once or twice a year. It was a very efficient service and provided great opportunities for the re-cycling enthusiasts, artists and sometime opportunists who would find rich pickings in the streets due for collection before the council workers arrived.
Well, the good news is that since May 16th, Dublin City Council has offered a Bulky Household Waste Collection Service to all households in its administrative area. It’s not free but it is far more affordable than the alternatives.
The Bulky Household Waste Collection Service is for items that are too large to be accepted by the regular waste collection service and is available to domestic users only and is not available to commercial premises.
Items that are suitable for collection include kitchen units, worktops or sinks, doors, bathrooms and toilet suites, bicycles, ladders, garden furniture, barbecues, oil tanks, boilers and radiators (fully drained), children’s swings, slides, or other large toys and prams or buggies.
Unacceptable items include household waste which can be disposed of in the normal collection bins, garden green waste, large amounts of waste arising from refurbishing of houses or gardens, glass, gas cylinders, and demolition or construction rubble.
The cost of the service is €40 per collection for five individual items. An additional €40 charge will apply per five extra items. A three-piece suite of furniture is classed as three items and the €40.00 fee applies regardless of the number of items presented between one and five. No reductions are possible.
If the items you want to get rid of are very large, this works out cheaper than taking the items to a Bring Centre where it costs €70 for a van, €15 for a car and €20 for an estate car.
To request the service, residents should visit the DCC website or customer services centre. When booking the service you will be required to provide your name, address, and telephone number.
Collection charges have to be paid and processed before collection can be arranged.
After the payment fee has been processed, your request will be sent to the relevant Waste Management depot. You will normally be contacted by phone within three days of booking by a DCC official to arrange a date and an approximate time for the collection to take place. If in doubt about the suitability of the items you want to get rid of, it is best to check when booking the service.
It is not possible for customers to choose their own collection date or time, but it should take place within ten days of your payment being accepted. All collections take place Monday – Friday between the hours of 8.00am and 3.00pm.
By Jennifer Reddin
