Householders are not allowed to dispose of food waste in the residual waste collection service. Failure to comply with these Waste Bye Laws can result in the issue of an on the spot fine of €75.00.
- Waste Bye Laws
- Who do these bye-laws apply to?
- Why do we need these bye-laws?
- Disposing of your waste
- Recycling in Ireland
- Enforcement
- Further information
Waste Bye Laws
The Laois County Council Waste Bye-Laws came into force in 2018
Who do these bye-laws apply to?
These bye-laws apply to all households, apartments and commercial premises.
Why do we need these bye-laws?
- To help you manage your waste in an environmentally acceptable manner
- To ensure that your waste is only given to an authorised door-to-door waste collector or brought to an authorised waste facility e.g. civic amenity sites
- To help ensure your waste is correctly segregated
- To reduce illegal dumping and backyard burning
- By correctly managing your waste you will:
- Make a contribution to meeting the climate challenge
- Improve the quantity and quality of recyclable* material collected
- Reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and incineration
- Help conserve planet Earth’s finite resources
If you want more information in relation to the Waste Bye Laws and your obligations under same please check out our frequently asked questions leaflet.
Disposing of your waste
If you choose not to register with a Waste Collector, you must dispose of your waste via Civic Amenity Sites / Transfer Station / other Authorised Facility. By going down this route, you must maintain receipts from the sites for a minimum of three years.
Arrange a household waste collection service provider NWCPO
Laois civic amenity sites;
New nationally agreed household recycling list
Recycling in Ireland is constantly evolving and in order to keep in line with international standards, what belongs in your household recycle bin has been simplified. The new nationally agreed household recycling list is now available from http://recyclinglistireland.ie. It’s easy, if it’s not on the list it doesn’t belong in the bin. Please make sure that all items are clean, dry and placed loosely in the bin.
Deposit return scheme
Are you ready to Re-Turn?
Since the introduction in February 2024 of the Deposit Return Scheme, whenever you buy a drink in a plastic bottle, aluminium or steel can that features the Re-turn logo, you pay a small deposit in addition to the price of the drink. When you return your empty, undamaged container to any retail outlet, you get your deposit back in full.
With return points all across Ireland, returning your Re-turn drinks containers couldn't be easier. Anywhere that sells drinks with the Re-turn logo, must accept your empty, undamaged containers and refund your deposit (Except for those who display an exemption notice).
As a circular economy initiative, the new Deposit Return Scheme aims to move away from the ‘take make and dispose’ culture to one of returning valuable materials, and keeping them in the economy for as long as possible.
For more information, go to www.re-turn.ie
Enforcement
If you do not have receipts from your Civic Amenity Site / Transfer Station / other authorised facility to prove you are using this facility to dispose of waste, you may be issued with a warning letter and/or an on-the-spot fine.
Householders may compost the food waste at the premises where the food waste is originally produced. Please note only raw fruit and vegetables, tea bags, used coffee beans and egg shells may be placed in a home compost unit. No cooked food, meat, fish or chicken.
Further information
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the Environmental Protection Team at environadmin@laoiscoco.ie or on 057 866 4000. For further information on managing your waste visit:
- My Waste. Here you will find everything you need to know on how you can manage your waste responsibly and efficiently.
- Food Waste
- For more ways to help you recycle please visit, Waste Service Locator. From here you can enter your location and you will be able to see Bring banks, Civic Amenity, Lightbulb Drop-off and WEEE recycling points close to your location.
- Download The Compost for Nature Guide to find out how composting at home and in communities can help to protect biodiversity and reduce our impact on the climate. Download the Guide here - Compost-for-Nature-booklet