Anger over removal of plastic recycling bins
ANGRY councillors have claimed that the decision to do away with plastic recycling facilities at bring banks throughout the county would lead to an increase in illegal dumping.
Several councillors complained that they were not aware of the plans to end the collection of plastic at local authority bring banks and said they inundated with complaints since notices were published in the local media.
Following a decision by Louth County Council officials to cease collection of plastics at Bring Centres across Louth, elected Representatives who were not party to the decision, debated the issue for over an hour at this month’s Council meeting.
Sinn Féin Cllr Joanna Byrne brought an emergency motion to the chamber asking that ‘Louth County Council reverse their decision to cease collecting plastics from their bring banks, effective immediately.’
Councillors pointed out that the removal of the plastic collection points would cause problems for people outside of Dundalk and Drogheda, especially those who didn’t drive and didn’t have easy access to the civic amenity centres.
Green party councillor Mark Dearey said that the decision undermined the targets in the Council’s Waste Management. He pointed out to the Chief Executive Ms Joan Martin that the decision was a serious breach of the regional waste management strategy but she told him that the strategy didn’t specifically mention bring banks.
Cllr Frank Godfrey felt that there should be consultation with the general public and Cllr Pearse McGeough argued that it was a ‘retrograde step’. The bring banks in the county are ‘well used’ said Cllr Emma Coffey,
Director of Service Mr Paddy Donnelly said most councils around the country had ceased the collection of plastic because of people having green bins. He revealed that they had received complaints from residents about bring banks due to anti-social behaviour and it was proving very difficult to find a site for one in the mid-Louth area. The existing plastic banks will be converted to glass or cans.
‘Illegal dumping is almost seen as the norm,’ said Cllr Paul Bell, adding that it was ‘a free for all at the weekend and after 5pm’.
Cllr Kevin Callan called for the decision to be reversed and brought back to the council for discussion in September following consulation with Tidy Towns groups.
Mr Donnelly said that they’d had representations to have bring banks moved and residents had a different attitude towards them now than in the past. He said that the council had notified the Tidy Towns groups of the decision
He said that people were more alert to not getting caught for illegal dumping, In one case where 20 bags of rubbish were found, it was ‘quite clear that people were tearing the names and addresses off envelopes.’
In response to comments from councillors about the increased costs which people would face to dispose of plastic, he said that the decision was ‘all in line with the polluter pays principal. People who create waste are expected to pay for it.’
There were ‘only a handful’ of local authorities still collecting plastic, he continued, and 80% of people have green bins.
Ms Martin responded that the biggest challenge for the Council was the people who have no bin and she would like to challenge them as to what they are doing with their waste.
‘We should not have to spend the amount of money we have to spend on street cleaning and bins if citizens behaved responsibly,’ she stated.
Following the passing of Cllr Byrne’s motion, Chief Executive Joan Martin said “I have listened to the members and took on board their points but as of now I am not prepared to reverse the decision.”
Following the decision Cllr Joanna Byrne said: ‘We are told to recycle, we are encouraged to recycle and yet they place obstacles in the way of recycling plastic. We were told that it costs €136,000 pa for this service and people should recycle ‘responsibly’. Surely that’s what people are trying to do by bringing their plastics to the bring banks.
‘What is the point of having a waste management strategy if the Council doesn’t support its ethos and takes decisions which will in effect increase fly-tipping as people have nowhere to bring their plastics. The Chief Executive is assuming that people have cars or transport to travel to the recycling centres in Louth and have the money to pay the entrance fees. People are using their green bins responsibly but putting plastics into them will take up room in them and add to the weight which in turn will lead to additional fees on the household.’