Dumping at ‘the Lough’ condemned following Ballindangan Spring clean
A concerned member of the Ballindangan community has highlighted issues of illegal dumping at a popular local beauty spot.
Following a major spring clean of the village and its surrounds, one local has highlighted dumping at the Lough which she fears may happen again.
“As a community, Ballindangan is very proud of the Lough and the wildlife aspect that it brings to the area. The Lough is unique in that it becomes a lake in the winter months attracting swans and other wildlife. It is a picturesque amenity that everyone enjoys, but to our horror, in recent times illegal dumping of domestic rubbish has been occurring,” the local said.
According to the local woman, the issue of dumping at the Lough has been a cause of ‘upset’ in the community.
“Local residents and community members are vigilant to ensure this illegal activity has to stop and we would plead with the perpetrators to cease this activity and keep this beauty spot clean and something to be admired for others to enjoy.
“It’s a beautiful scenic area and people walk it on a daily basis, but the people here have made a big effort to keep it looking the way it does and we’re just afraid that the issue with dumping will get worse,” the local said.
BIG EFFORT
The Ballindangan spring clean took place last weekend over two days, Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11.
Organised by Ballindangan Community Council as a part of An Taisce’s National Spring Clean Initiative, the clean-up saw a variety of household rubbish removed from the Lough including large bags of nappies, empty drink cans and general household waste.
According to the local woman, removing items illegally dumped from the Lough was also a big effort, as individuals had to go into the Lough and surrounding marshlands, rather than simply litter-picking from the roadside.
“Bags are being thrown over the ditch and flung across the Lough into the marshland, it’s not just on the side of the road and easy to access. There are some bags that we can’t actually get at because they’re thrown so far. It’s not right.
“The place is looking better now, but people have gone to such an effort to get it this way and if no one says anything about the dumping, it will just happen again,” the local woman added.
According to another local woman, approximately 50 bags of rubbish were collected over the weekend.
GREAT PRIDE SHOWN
Previously, the clean-up focused on the village area, but due to the public health guidelines at the time, it was decided that people participating in the clean-up did so in the confines of their own bubble and within their 5km limit.
The organisers were really encouraged by the level of participation and people’s willingness to take part, with up to 25 people, including children, participating over the 2 days, the woman added.
“This level of participation highlights the pride people have in their community and the great community spirit in the area. One feeling among some participants was that in the absence of community activities in general, the community clean up was a real positive feel-good community initiative to participate in.
“While the clean up could not include a more tangible community event such as refreshments in the hall, the organisers said the event yielded a real positive community feel and are hoping that future clean-ups will see a get-together in the hall as a thank you to people,” she said.
She went on to note that the rubbish collected ranged from plastic and glass bottles, to cans, old clothes and some domestic waste.
Some old tyres were also recovered together with other general waste and in some cases, the rubbish had been covered over, but was unearthed due to recent drainage works.
‘SHOCKING’
Local Councillor Deirdre O’Brien commended the work done by volunteers.
“The community has been great, I was delighted to help them out,” she said.
Cllr O’Brien arranged for gloves, bags and litter pickers to be provided to those involved in the clean-up.
Speaking about the issue with dumping at the Lough, Cllr O’Brien said it was ‘shocking’ to see.
“It’s a wildlife sanctuary and in the summertime, it’s beautiful to see the swans there. It’s a popular spot among locals and we want to make sure that this area is preserved,” Cllr O’Brien stressed.
While Cllr O’Brien acknowledged that the Lough is not the responsibility of Cork County Council, as it is an area of commonage, she said that the council would give advice on cleaning up the area and erect signage.
The organisers would like to thank Cllr Deirdre O’Brien for providing materials for the cleanup which were of great assistance.
They would also like to thank Cork County Council, and particularly the Mitchelstown office, for the provision of bags and gloves and for their support in disposing of all the bags of rubbish collected.
Most of all, the organisers would like to say a massive thank you to all those who took part in the clean-up – your support in keeping our community tidy is really appreciated. Well done to all involved.