Some Dublin city centre businesses are reporting difficulties with the new waste collection system introduced to deal with a ban on bin bags in the capital's core.
The complaints come as the roll-out of the next phase of the ban, to residential areas of the city centre, has been postponed after concerns were raised about how it will work for householders.
However Dublin City Council says that the ban on bin bags is having a significant impact on making the capital's streets cleaner, reducing litter by 20 tonnes in the south city area alone.
Last October, Dublin City Council introduced waste compactors near Temple Bar and St Stephen's Green as part of a ban on the use of bin bags for the disposal of waste in Dublin city centre.
Last month, two new compactors were installed close to O'Connell Street and Capel Street.
However, some city centre businesses are reporting problems such as full compactors, faulty fobs and the cost of their waste disposal doubling.
CEO of Dublin Town Richard Guiney said the issues need to be resolved.
"Businesses are reporting major confusion with waste providers and have experienced delays or difficulties in getting required fobs for compactors.
"Compactors have been found to be not working properly on occasion, leading to businesses having to haul waste bags back to premises which do not have storage facilities for waste.
"Businesses have also found planned waste collections from their premises have not taken place, again leaving businesses with a pile up of waste. This is simply unacceptable, and greater engagement is required.
"Upper-storey businesses, and those with a lack of storage, are finding it difficult to manage. The bin bag ban is a wonderful idea, but it is not currently working as it should," he added.
Public meeting hears locals' concerns
Dublin City Council says that as a result of Phase 1 of the ban on bin bags, savings have been made in resources, "as well as collection and disposal costs for waste management services".
A similar impact on litter levels is expected from the new compactors in the north city, which have been in place for just six weeks.
The issue comes as the rollout of the next phase of the ban, to the first primarily residential area of the city in Stoneybatter, has been postponed for a month, following concerns about how it will work.
Around 300 people attended a public meeting on the issue earlier this week and Labour TD for Dublin Central Marie Sherlock said locals are concerned about where they would store traditional wheelie bins.
There are also concerns about the capacity of so-called caddy bins - which are smaller than wheelie bins - and are being offered to the public to dispose of their waste along with the costs involved in having them collected.
"Instead of Dublin City Council taking ownership over alternatives and making the bin-bag ban workable, they have left it to private companies to bring the solutions," Ms Sherlock said.
"This is a complete abdication of responsibility towards residents across the north inner city.
"The outcome from the meeting is clear. Dublin City Council must now press the reset button on these changes and engage with the north inner city. We support any changes that will make our city cleaner, but they must be done right."
Dublin City Council says that the introduction of Phase 3 of the bin bag ban to the Stoneybatter area has been postponed until August and the date will be reviewed as necessary to ensure that there is a good compliance and take-up of new arrangements in the primarily residential area.
