20 July 2018
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Cork City Council has led a blitz on illegal dumping in an area of the city loved by walkers and cyclists.
Largescale dumping has been taking place in the river, on the roadside and on the riverbank along the Lee Road, close to the waterworks.
Cork City Council Senior Executive Engineer Tony T O’Sullivan said: “Residents contacted us as they were tired of what was taking place in their community. This kind of behaviour also has an impact on the aquatic life in the river and it also effects the operation of the waterworks”.
Cork City Council has been cracking down on illegal dumping across the city with a full clean-up of the riverbank from the waterworks on the Lee Road to Wellington Bridge. It availed of funding from Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Denis Naughten under his department’s Anti Dumping Initiative.
Cork City Council also installed CCTV installed at several locations on the route to deter dumpers.
Tony T O’Sullivan said: “We are also asking householders to be aware of illegal dumping activity and especially the ‘man in a van’ service. There are a number of operators offering to take away all of your domestic waste rather than pay for kerbside collection or the use of civic amenity sites”.
“Many of these operators are unpermitted and have been known to bring household waste to remote areas to illegally dispose of waste. Unfortunately, if evidence is found in this waste which relates back to the householder, there are repercussions. We are asking householders if they know of anyone operating these services to please make contact with us”.
Under the Litter Pollution Act, householders can be fined €150 and possible prosecution under the Waste Management Act.