Crackdown on illegal dumping

WICKLOW County Council is cracking down on illegal dumping and littering, warning those who engage in such activity that they could face stiff fines of a prison sentence if convicted in court.

The council is ramping up its action on illegal waste activities in the county including dumping or burning of waste.

Last year 217 litter fines for €150 were issued for litter related offences.

In addition, 19 more serious cases were taken to court by Wicklow County Council under the Waste Management and Litter Control legislation with fines of up to €1,500 and in one case a 30-day prison sentence for a defendant who was found guilty of illegal dumping and burning of several bags of domestic waste.

The cases brought ranged from dumping waste in a field to a bag of bottles left beside recycling bins.

A conviction was also secured against a defendant for discarding domestic waste in a municipal bin and for another who left a bag of bottles beside a recycling bin.

A spokesperson for Wicklow County Council said that ‘when Council Enforcement Officers retrieve evidence from dumped waste, action is always taken against offenders and if fines are not paid, the offender is taken to court where they will have to pay the fine as well as all legal and associated costs.’

Fines imposed on convicted parties ranged from €150 to €1,500 while costs ranged from €300 to €1,500.

The council said that it will continue to work to tackle the dumpers and offenders this year with the help of the community and increasingly through the use of technology.

‘Wicklow County Council takes illegal dumping extremely seriously. Our team of Environmental Officers are active all over the county and dumpers will be pursued to the full extent of the law. We will track down the offenders and take action to protect our county,’ the spokesperson said.

Members of the public are being asked to report illegal dumping via the 24 hour lo-call telephone number 1850 365 121 or envcomplaints@wicklowcoco.ie. GIVING back is good for you, according to a survey carried out by the Wicklow Volunteer Centre.

In their survey, 55 per cent of respondents said their mental health and well-being had improved following their volunteering experience while 65 per cent reported an increase in their self-esteem.

Details of the survey of almost 1800 volunteers were released to launch National Volunteering Week 2017, which takes place from May 15 to 21.

National Volunteering Week is an annual event which showcases the fantastic work done by volunteers across the country; how people can get involved in volunteering and how your local volunteer centre can support you.

This year’s National Volunteering Week will focus on health and well-being by showcasing the positive impact volunteering can have on those that volunteer.

‘Volunteers do tremendous work all over Ireland giving their time for charities and their local communities,’ said Leah Kinsella, manager of Wicklow Volunteer Centre.

‘We often talk about the impact volunteers have on the people and organisations they volunteer with and now we want to shine a light on the impact it has on the volunteer themselves.

‘Gaining new skills, making friends, building confidence and feeling part of the community are all part and parcel of being a volunteer. While a lot of people begin volunteering because they’d like to give something back, many volunteers find that they actually get more from the experience than they give.’

To find out more, go to volunteerwicklow.ie.