Advertisment
A price list for a waste disposal centre by Waterford City and County Council detailed the cost of waste disposal. Some of the costs outlined were as follows:
General Waste Disposal Charge
Per Bag €6
Per 240l Wheelie Bin €10
Car/Estate/Jeep €20
Small Van (i.e. Ford Transit) €30
Prices were also provided for Green Waste, Cardboard Recycling, Bulky Waste and Household Hazardous Waste. At the bottom of the list was a notice that stated:
“Where a waste type or method of presentation cannot be categorised exactly in accordance with the above schedule the Site Manager shall make a determination on the appropriate charge having reference to the charges set out above.”
Complaint
The complainant noted that the cost of bringing waste in a car was €20, however, when the complainant arrived at the centre with their waste in their car, they were charged €40 rather than €20. As the complainant was advised that they were being charged for each bag they had in their car rather than the ‘per car’ charge, the complainant considered that the advertising was misleading.
Response
The advertisers said that reference was made in the advertisement to a variety of methods of presentation of waste at their civic amenity sites and the charges in respect of these. In regard to the charges for a car, they said that it was considered that the storage capacity of a typical car type vehicle would be no greater in volume than four bags of waste, of normal refuse bag size. They said that where it was evident that the amount of waste presented exceeded in quantity the volume of four normal refuse bags, a charge was applied for any additional waste in excess of four bags at a rate of €6.00 per bag.
They said that the advertisement made reference to situations where a waste type or method of presentation could not be categorised in accordance with the schedule of charges and advised that the site manager would make a determination on the appropriate fee having reference to the charges set out.
Conclusion
Complaint Upheld.
The Complaints Committee considered the detail of the complaint and the advertisers’ response.
The Complaints Committee noted that the advertisement had included a notification in regard to the method of the presentation of waste. However, no indication had been provided that the cost of a car was limited to no more than 4 standard refuse bags. In the absence of such clarification, the Committee considered that the advertising was in breach of Sections 4.1 and 4.4 of the Code.
Action Required:
The advertisement must not reappear in its current form.
