‘ It’salways scenicareas’
TONNES of illegally dumped waste were removed from areas around Cliffoney at a cost of thousands of euro to the council last week.
Members of Sligo County Council Outdoor Staff removed the rubbish which had been dumped off back roads not far outside the village.
Waste Enforcement Officer with Sligo County Council Pete Murtagh said the area has been target for illegal dumpers for a number of years.
“It tends to be in the most picturesque unspoiled areas. Three quarters of it is made up of glass bottles, aluminium cans and electrical equipment, which can be recycled for free,” said Mr Murtagh.
Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Denis Naughten, has recently made funds available for local authorities to equip their officers with the latest technologies including overt and covert surveillance equipment, drone technology and other SMART enforcement tools.
However, Mr Murtagh said more staff is needed to maintain and monitor these cameras especially as the county is without a litter warden at the moment. “We need boots on the ground. We are up to our eyes,” he said.
He said anyone caught dumping one bag of rubbish can be fined € 150 and a court conviction could see a fine of € 3,000 enforced.
As well as this under Waste Presentation By- Laws a waste enforcement officer can call to your house and you must be able to provide proof that you are disposing of your waste properly or you could be issued with a € 75 fine.
However this, Mr Murtagh said, is a last resort.
While acknowledging that some people find it difficult to meet the sometimes high cost of rubbish collectors, he said there are other cheaper options such as bringing your waste to a waste facility such as that in Deep Water Quay in Sligo.
He said there is also the option of a bin share account which could see you splitting the fixed cost of waste collection with a friend or family member.
There is also civic amenity at Deep Water Quay which allows you to recycle dry recyclables at a cost of € 4.
Anyone observing any illegal littering is urged to report it directly to the County Council. “We record all information and we investigate every complaint, “he said.
Meanwhile local Councillor Marie Casserly has said the appointment of a litter warden in the near future is a positive thing and hopes it will improve the situation with illegal dumping.
“It takes a lot of effort to bring rubbish to a remote location. There are so many community groups doing such good work to keep our areas tidy and it’s a shame how one or two individuals are choosing to make their work even harder.
“I’d like to thank Sligo County Council outdoor staff for coming out and removing the rubbish. They are extremely busy and their resources could be deployed elsewhere, said Cllr Casserly.