Write a commentSlieve Gullion Councillor Oonagh Magennis has said that the problem of cleaning up incidents of illegal dumping has to be addressed. The Councillor said that figures for up to the end of last year suggested that up to £100,000 was spent removing rubbish from hundreds of separate incidents and it’s disposal.
“It is absolutely shocking”, said the elected representative and she continued,
“Larger scale fly-tipping may involve engagement of a contractor, with specialist equipment.
And if the quantity of waste is greater than 20 cubic metres – or involves hazardous materials – the Environment Agency (NIEA) is called in to play.
The cost both in financial and environmental terms is huge. It is the ratepayers as usual who are left to pick up the bill.
This can no longer be accepted as normal and a “fact of life”. It is time to tackle this problem with all resources available”.
Continuing Councillor Magennis said,
“It is essential that our Council make a decision to tackle this huge problem with vigour and in an earnest fashion, using both the deterrent of follow up and prosecution, as well as informing, educating and motivating people to change their behaviour, to have respect and concern for their landscape and environment,for their own communities, neighbours and our economy”.
Concluding Councillor Magennis said
“Council and Agencies such as the NIEA need to liaise and work together in an effective and efficient manner so that the problems associated with the illicit dumping of waste are addressed”.
