The disposal of freesheet newspapers was creating a flurry of paper, making Dublin Dart stations "look like Wall Street after a ticket tape parade", Ciarán Cuffe (Green Party, Dún Laoghaire) claimed.
He said that he welcomed new entrants to the marketplace, such as Herald AM and Metro.
"I do not want to single out one producer of waste over another. The principle is that if one supplies a product that must eventually be disposed of, one should pay some proportion of its disposal cost."
Minister for the Environment Dick Roche said that there were complaints from the staff at Westland Row station in Dublin that new freesheet newspapers were blocking up litter bins and were deposited all over the road.
He added that discussions were ongoing between the department and the newsprint industry about developing a producer responsibility initiative for the recovery and recycling of newspapers and magazines.
"I would be concerned that such an initiative should deal fully with all newspapers and magazines, irrespective of the manner in which they are marketed."
Mr Roche said that there had been "an horrific proliferation of litter" in and around Luas and Dart stations.
"What has occurred recently is irresponsible, and I know the conventional newspaper industry shares my views on this." He said that a partnership approach was the best way of dealing with the matter. He welcomed outlets for young journalists to make a mark.
He would suggest, he added, that the producers of freesheets should identify the major dirt-spots and clean them up.
There had been other producer initiatives, for example, in the fast food industry, where outlets cleaned a specific area. This could happen in the interim.
