Donegal County Council has been allocated just over €69,000 as part of the new anti-dumping awareness campaign It’s Not in Our Nature – Is it in Yours which was launched nationally last week by the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Denis Naughten TD.
This will see a schedule of clean ups take place over the summer months in areas which have been highlighted as black-spots including Single Street Bundoran, sections of the River Finn, Atlashane, Brinlack, Bloodyforeland and Raws Upper, Castlefin.
The aim of the campaign is to further create awareness on the issues around illegal dumping, as significant funding has been made available this year to tackle the issue by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. This year a total of €600,000 will be spent by local authorities across the Connacht Ulster Waste Region to clean up sites containing illegally dumped material.
This new regional awareness campaign will support extensive clean-ups undertaken by local authorities throughout the nine local authority areas in the Connacht Ulster Waste Region – Cavan, Donegal, Galway City and County, Leitrim, Mayo, Monaghan, Roscommon and Sligo.
This campaign is a proactive step to further support the work being undertaken by Donegal County Council and is being delivered in partnership with the Regional Waste Authorities.
Last Friday at the campaign launch Minister Naughten said “I very much welcome the regional campaign which will further support this year’s Anti-Dumping Initiative framework. Not only will a wide range of clean-up projects led by local authorities take place, in addition, some Local Authorities have also sought funding for overt and covert surveillance equipment and drone technology to target dumpers. The aim is to reduce illegal dumping by providing funding for projects tackling the problem and to develop an integrated and effective combined approach with local authorities, communities and other state agencies”.
“I am also delighted to announce that my Department has provided €61,500 for 22 mattress amnesty events which will take place across the region during the summer months”, said Minister Naughten.
The importance of a clean green environment is critical in terms of making our region a better place in which to live, work and do business and Regional Waste Enforcement Co-ordinator Sean Scott says “our overall aim is to eliminate unsightly illegal dumps and further protect our environment both in rural and urban settings as well as engaging with the public to ensure that areas remain clean once clean-ups have taken place”.
“Significant costs are associated with cleaning up illegally dumped waste and there is an onus on all citizens to dispose of waste in the correct manner. I also welcome the Minister’s support for a mattress amnesty. Householders should contact their Local Authority for details of mattress amnesty events that are taking place” said Mr. Scott.
Members of the public are being called upon to continue to play their part by ensuring to dispose of waste responsibly using a permitted service and to take the time to report sightings of illegal dumping to the local authority or through the Environmental Protection Agencies reporting app SEE IT, SAY IT at www.epa.ie/enforcement/report/seeit/.
“We’re very grateful to all the very responsible householders and community minded people who do the right thing – who dispose of their waste correctly using authorised waste collectors, the extensive network of bring banks and the Recycling Centres located throughout the region. However, there is still a cohort of people who are irresponsible in disposing of their waste which ultimately results in small and large scale illegal dumps and to those individuals we appeal to cease this activity” said Michael McGarvey Director of Service, Water and Environment, Donegal County Council.
“Householders are being alerted to the fact that they are obliged to provide evidence of where they dispose of their waste and can be held responsible and fined for illegal dumping. Householders should retain receipts as proof,” said Matthew Byrne Waste Regulations Officer with the Environment Section of Donegal County Council.
For further information please contact the Environment Section, Donegal County Council on 0749153900 or [email protected]
Select an option below
