€2 recycling charge ‘unfair’

THE €2 charge at recycling centres across the county was described as unfair and a retrograde step at the monthly meeting of Wexford County Council.

Cllr Barbara Anne Murphy said it is resulting in people dumping recyclable items in the countryside. Cllr Murphy said the number of people using the recycling centre in Enniscorthy fell by a third between the first seven months of 2017 and the first seven months of this year.

She said the tonnage being deposited has also dropped significantly. ‘We are charging the public to come to come in and we are picking it up off the road instead.’

She asked how many people have been brought to court and paid fines for fly tipping, littering and illegal dumping. Cllr Murphy also asked if new technology is being used to catch habitual dumpers in spe- cific areas. ‘16 filthy nappies were found in one bag on Saturday. 16! We are allowing our countryside to be destroyed at a time when we are trying to attract people here. We have to actually do something about it.’

Cllr Paddy Kavanagh said the €2 charge is a retrograde step which penalises the law abiding citizen. Director of Services for the Environment John Carley said litter fines are being paid ‘all of the time’.