Commercial entities not registered in waste recovery schemes will have to start paying €175 per tonne for the disposal of wood packaging.

The announcement was made yesterday by Wasteserv, the government waste management agency, in a bid to close a loophole that saw these businesses benefit from a massively reduced rate applicable to wooden furniture and other scrap.

The reduced rate currently stands at 50c per tonne and will not change. The notice covers wood used in packaging such as pallets, boxes and crates.

The €175 fee, which was already paid by companies registered in one of two waste recovery schemes, covers the cost of recycling the wood. The move is intended to create a level playing field.

Wasteserv said the disposal of scraps of wood delivered by individuals to bring-in sites will remain free.

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