Dublin City Council says 'bin-raiding' for bottles and cans cost over €500m last year

Eva Osborne

Dublin City Council has said that bin-raiding by people looking for bottles and cans cost it over €500 million last year.

Officials said bin-raiding left rubbish scattered across streets and forced cleaning crews to revisit already-cleaned areas.

The council's waste management section estimated that three hours in every 24-hour cleaning cycle were being diverted to deal with "bin interference".

Dublin City Council said replacing locks on public bins alone cost more than €100,000 alone.

While the council cknowledged the recycling scheme has boosted bottle and can returns nationally, it siad the city centre has seen "significant operational challenges".

Re-turn said it is working with the council on practical solutions to keep streets clean.