Council Launch Three Year Plan to Tackle Illegal Dumping

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has launched a fresh three-year drive to tackle environmental crime across the district, combining education, enforcement and cross-border cooperation in a bid to stamp out illegal dumping for good.

The scale of the problem is laid bare in the figures. Between early April 2024 and 7 January this year, council staff recorded 1,088 fly-tipping incidents across the district, with beds, mattresses, chairs, bin bags and builders' waste among the items left dumped in towns and villages. A further 124 incidents involved smaller items such as general litter, hot food takeaway rubbish, cans, plastic bottles and cigarette butts over the same period.

Council Chairperson Councillor Philip Campbell said there is no excuse for illegal dumping. "There is an environmental and financial cost associated with all forms of fly-tipping. Illegal waste is not only unsightly but poses a threat to livestock and wildlife. It is unsightly and a blot on the landscape. People need to take their waste home with them or dispose of it properly. There is simply no excuse for not doing so."

Cllr Campbell also praised council staff working on the frontline to keep the district clean, while criticising those who dump waste in secluded rural areas under the cover of darkness. He added: "We all have a responsibility to play our part in keeping the district clean. The irony of fly-tipping is that those who engage in such behaviour are paying for its removal through their rates. I endorse the Council's new education and enforcement plan to tackle illegal dumping and encourage residents to play their part."

To strengthen its response, the council has recently recruited new senior staff within its Environment Department, including a new Head of Waste Processing and Enforcement and an Education and Enforcement Manager, both of whom will be central to the three-year plan. The council is also planning to approach the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) for details of available support and funding to help address the problem.

Enforcement powers are already in place, with council staff able to issue fixed penalty notices of £80 for littering offences, while more serious fly-tipping involving bulky waste can attract heavier fines. A review of a CCTV system introduced at known dumping hotspots across the district is also planned as part of the initiative.

Cross-border working will also play a significant part in the effort, with the council set to reinvigorate its existing partnership with Louth County Council. The two councils have already delivered a number of successful anti-dumping initiatives together and will now look to identify further opportunities for joint learning, shared resources and cross-border projects, avoiding duplication of effort and building on what has already been proven to work.

Anyone who wants to report a fly-tipping incident can contact the council on 0330 137 4027 or by emailing e.health@mandd.org.

 With over 1,000 incidents logged in less than a year, the message from the council is clear: illegal dumping will not be tolerated, and residents are being urged to do their bit to help keep the district clean.