People Before Profit has launched a campaign calling for the new green bin charges to be scrapped.

The party claims the charges, introduced by former Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly, are “environmental sabotage”.

New pay by weight fees for recycling are due to take effect in July, a move the party says is for profit interests rather than environmental concerns.

People Before Profit TD Brid Smith, says the service should remain free of charge.

She said: “We haven’t up to now been charged for recycling, we haven’t paid for the recycling content of the green bin, and there’s a reason for that.

“It is because recycling is good for the environment and now we are told that we must pay for it when it in itself generates a profit.

“So the activity of people separating their rubbish and putting it into green bins rather than everything into a black bin creates a profit for the companies that collect it.”