Persistent dumping in Wicklow
WICKLOW Tidy Towns have been dealing with a persistent dumper over the past few months as bags of rubbish with the same contents have been collected from two different locations.
The outbreak of Covid-19 hasn’t kept the frequent offender quiet as further bags of rubbish have been cleaned up since coronavirus restrictions were put in place.
Five bags of rubbish were dumped beside the bottle banks at the AIB car park, consisting of over 200 beer cans, over 50 beer bottles and domestic waste.
Previously, Tidy Towns volunteers had to sort through rubbish bags dumped at Fitzwilliam Road, including 255 cans, 30 bottles and 20 plastic cider bottles.
Wicklow Tidy Towns Chairperson, Leonora Earls, says the same type of dumping has been taking place at both locations for the past number of months.
‘It’s very frustrating. We think it is the same individual or same individuals as it is the same beer brands all the time, dumped at the same locations.
‘In the AIB car park they are dumping the bags right beside the bottle banks. Why go to all the trouble of walking to the bottle bank, if you are just going to discard the bags on the ground rather than placing the cans and bottles into the appropriate bottle bank? It has become a regular thing over the past few months,’ said Leonora.
The dumping has continued, even as Wicklow Tidy Towns reigns back from weekly community litter-picks until Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted.
‘More than ever we need people to be responsible. Our volunteers can’t go out to the same extent because of the coronavirus. Wicklow Municipal District has been great but their resources are stretched now too,’ added leonora.
If anyone sees any dumping taking place or comes across dumped materials in Wicklow town, they should contact Wicklow Municipal District on (0404) 20173 or the Environment section of Wicklow County Council on (0404) 20236.