Unlike many EU countries, Ireland’s waste disposal system is private.

There are over 50 different household door-to-door waste collection companies who compete for customers and set their own prices.

However, there is no uniform pricing structure and costs vary across the country. Local authorities generally do not have control over how private waste collectors operate.

In 2023, a Dublin councillor called the city “the wild west” and added that “nowhere in the rest of Europe is there such a feeding frenzy to provide this private service”.

Within the market, there are also fears of local monopolies in some areas and oversupply in others, accusations of price discrepancies across the country, poor collection performance and inefficiency with multiple bin trucks driving up the same street on collection days.

HELP US INVESTIGATE

We want to conduct a data-driven investigation of the private waste collection market to see what people are paying around the country.

We will use data analysis to find the most expensive markets and figure out which companies are charging the highest rates for their services.

We will also examine which parts of the country are underserved by the private market.

If you want to make a contribution to help this investigation happen, click the 'Fund This Proposal' button. Noteworthy investigations are sourced from and crowdfunded by the public.

You can contact us at [email protected] and find out how we work here.