Dublin City Council is set to approach Re-Turn for financial support to cover rising street-cleaning costs, after reports that people searching for refundable bottles and cans are emptying public bins across Dublin.
The issue was highlighted by Richard Shakespeare, who said so-called “scavengers” are pulling rubbish from bins in search of items eligible for the deposit return scheme, leaving litter scattered on streets.
Shakespeare said the problem is particularly visible along his regular route between the Mansion House and George’s Street, but added that it is occurring across the city. He stressed that council crews are cleaning up “as often as they possibly can”, despite the added pressure.
Speaking on Newstalk, Shakespeare said the extra work has required additional staff on the ground.
“That extra cleaning piece probably means I have an extra 10 people on the streets at any given point in time to react to that,” he said. “When I look at the cost of the 10 people, it is anywhere between half a million and a million.”
Shakespeare confirmed that Dublin City Council will be asking Re-Turn to contribute towards these costs, arguing that the council should not be left to shoulder the financial burden created by the unintended side effects of the deposit return system.
The council says it supports environmental measures such as recycling incentives but wants a solution that does not lead to increased littering or strain on public cleaning services.