Call for bottle banks to be emptied more often

A LOCAL politician has called for bottle banks to be emptied more often due to an increase in glass at facilities in the area.

Senator Malcolm Byrne said that he has noticed that bottle banks are filling up quicker, and has put in a request for more lifts to Wexford County Council.

‘The bottle banks have been filling a little quicker than before during this lockdown period. It’s just something that I simply observed myself going to the bottle banks that they seemed to be full more regularly when you pass them. I’ve also been getting reports from people about the bottle banks around the county.

‘It’s a great sign that people are recycling glass but it’s also a sign that with people at home now, they are using a lot more glass containers which means that the bottle banks get busier.’

Senator Byrne said that this issue is particularly noticeable after weekends.

‘While the pubs and restaurants are closed it means that people are probably consuming more alcohol at home and they’re using more glass jars for the preparation of food. We are eating and drinking a lot more, reflecting in the record level sales at supermarkets.

‘But it’s also a sign that it’s going to be very important for us to try and support the hospitality sector when the pubs and restaurants do begin to reopen because they’ve been hit particularly hard’.

Wexford County Council staff are monitoring the situation, with Senator Byrne suggesting that there could be a case made for more bottle banks to be installed throughout the district.

‘We’ve had very little calls from the public on this, but the Environment Department has noted a general increase across the entire county of illegal dumping and fly tipping since the lockdown and it does appear to be that people have more time on their hands to clear outs,’ said District Manager Michael Drea.

‘Bottle banks are something that we are looking at and reviewing our practises. The issue with it is that there are third parties involved, such as the company that does the lifts who have been experiencing an increase in demand nationally with more people at home.

‘We always want them to jump as soon as we click our fingers but there is a response time. What we need to do is monitor them very closely and pre-empt the issues arising’.

The need for more bottle banks is also under constant review by the Environment Department.

‘There is a positive here that people are trying to do the right thing and recycle. There is a happy medium where by you have enough to meet demand but again it’s about monitoring the situation. We have been looking at additional areas, particularly in rural areas as the towns have always been pretty well served in terms of the bottle bank service’.