Beach dumping major concern to locals
RESIDENTS of Baltray and Seapoint have contacted local councillors about the widespread dumping and pollution taking place on their nearby beaches.
In recent weeks, stretches of strand have been littered with trawler boxes, sacks, oil containers, clothing and more, and regular users of the beach would like to know where it is all coming from.
Independent Councillor Kevin Callan says those responsible for serious pollution and putting our beaches and river at risk must be pursued.
‘ This type of pollution and largescale dumping is simply utterly unacceptable and those who have carried it out must be followed legally by the Council,’ he told the Drogheda Independent.
‘ The risk to our wildlife from these items, in particular the oil drums, needs to be pursued by the authorities.’
Photographs emerged over the past two weeks of hundreds of empty and sand-logged sacks strewn along a length of strand at Seapoint, as well as fishing paraphernalia such as boxes, oil drums and waterproof clothing.
There were suggestions that much of the flotsam deposited on the beaches over time has been recently exposed because of winter storms, and what is now visible may have been there for years.
However, other residents are concerned it is as a direct result of dumping on the beach or off passing vessels.
Cllr Callan said he wished to thank local residents for reporting the serious pollution on the beaches at Baltray and Seapoint to him.
‘I have notified Louth County Council and both the Environment and Operations sections are dealing with this,’ he added.
‘ The risk is also that it may affect the River Boyne, as well if these items or any like them have made it into the river channel.We want to avoid that at all costs.’