Oil barrels dumped in field on Louth/Meath boundary
A NEW strategy to tackle dumping in the Drogheda area is badly needed, local councillor Paul Bell has claimed, after a potentially dangerous discovery in a field close to the town.
He has claimed that Louth County Council’s strategy in dealing with the growing level of illegal dumping is failing in spectacular fashion having come across barrels - containing oil or other chemicals - dumped in a gateway to field on the Louth Meath border on the link road between the Donore Road and Platin Road.
“It is truly shocking that in close proximity to the Drogheda Retail Park and along a busy road barrels of chemical could be dumped in broad daylight. I have from speaking to local people identified that possibly two vans were used in the dumping of a product which requires specialist processes for its safe disposal. Unfortunately local people who witnessed the vans parked in the gateway did not understand that criminal activity was ongoing.’
He says the council have stated that the safe disposal and clean up of the dumped product falls to Meath County Council as the offence seems to have been committed just over the County boundary.
‘In response to the continued failure of the anti dumping/ litter strategy of Louth Council with many of Drogheda’s citizens becoming more aware that the perpetrators of illegal dumping are acting with impunity even in areas of our town centre I have placed a motion on the July agenda of the Drogheda Municipal Council calling for a special meeting of Councillors and Council Officials to be convened for the purpose of agreeing new approach to this growing crisis and to examine what action other Councils are taking to combat illegal dumping”.