Write a commentCouncillor Roisin Mulgrew has said that the councils Illegal Waste Enforcement Figures are "Disappointing"
The Newry city councillor said that those within Council involved with Litter and Waste Enforcement needed to target flytippers and hold them to account.
The Councillor was speaking after it was revealed that just nine dog fouling and one fly tipping fixed penalty notices had been given out during 2019-20.
The Newry City Councillor said, “We realise that the vast majority of residents do the right thing with their waste. However fly tipping and hazardous waste dumping has increased and is now a huge scourge.
"This is an absolute disgrace and should not be happening. We are in an age of a climate emergency where our oceans are polluted with tonnes of plastic, micro plastics are in our food chains and farming is under threat as a result of the presence of micro plastics in soil and deteriorating soil health.
"This should come as a wake up call to residents within our Council area that their rate money, paid by their hard earned wages are being spent cleaning our streets and hedgerows, on an issue that could and should be avoided”.
Councillor Mulgrew said that Enforcement figures released by the Council were disappointing. “Fly-tipping and dumping has been an ongoing issue here for a significant period of time and it needs to stop. I am dismayed that Newry Mourne & Down Council Enforcement figures state that over the past three years just 26 Dog Fouling notices and 12 Flying tipping fixed penalty notices have been served.
In the Newry region presently just 7 Article 20 Fixed Penalty Notices and 4 DVA litter notices.
The Newry City Councillor added,“Fly-tipping and dumping has been an ongoing issue here for a significant period of time and it needs to stop. As a community we want and continually fight for clean, safe, well resourced neighbourhoods so this behaviour flies in the face of that. As a community we must work together to bring it to an end, it is unhealthy, unsightly and unnecessary”.
Concluding Councillor Mulgrew said,“Those who are involved in dumping their litter and hazardous waste need to be targeted, apprehended and held to account. The community expect that and we also expect our Council to take a lead in Enforcement”.
