Anger over dumping at Ballinrobe beauty spot

Anger over dumping at Ballinrobe beauty spot


Ciara Galvin

THE picturesque Bower’s Walk in Ballinrobe is increasingly becoming a litter blackspot, and the local Tidy Towns Committee is calling for more vigilance in the area and in other parts of the town.
On Sunday last, a stereo system and speakers were illegally dumped beside a bin on the walk. This is the second such instance of illegal dumping there in the past week, and bags of rubbish had previously been removed from the area.
Speaking to The Mayo News, Chairman of Ballinrobe Tidy Town’s Committee Peter Heaps said instances of illegal dumping were ‘disheartening for the majority of people in the town’.
Mr Heaps outlined many of the town’s dumping black spots, namely Springvale Bridge, Church lane car park, Cloongowla and the walkway between Waterside estate and Brewery Court estate.
“The protocol that usually takes place is we take pictures of the illegal dumping and we contacted Mayo County Council,” said Mr Heap.
The most serious incidences of illegal dumping the committee has came across or heard of in recent times include a bin liner full of dirty nappies found at Springvale Bridge and a ditch in Cloongowla where dead lambs were discarded.
“In that case of the dead lambs it’s one farmer illegally dumping the lambs in a drain and other farmers’ animals possibly drinking out of the same drain further down the road. It just doesn’t make any sense,” said Mr Heaps.

CCTV camera needed
Asked what can be done to clamp down on illegal dumping, Mr Heaps said because ‘fly tippers’ are looking for a place to dump rubbish where they won’t be seen, CCTV footage where possible should be put into place.
Throughout 2015 Mayo County Council will be carrying out door-to-door inspections to ensure householders are disposing of waste correctly.
Sharon Cameron, Environment Awareness Officer with Mayo County Council is encouraging householders to maintain records for their waste disposal.
“Many householders are unaware that by law they have to keep receipts for waste disposal. If householders use the civic amenity sites to dispose of their waste they must keep a receipt for every visit. Those using a bin service must maintain receipts from their waste collector and those using bags must hold a till receipt for the purchase of bags.”
Informed of the illegal dumping in relation to the Bower’s Walk area, Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council and Ballinrobe councillor Damien Ryan said the matter was being dealt with by council staff.

Councillors comments
The issue of illegal dumping was discussed at length at yesterday’s (Monday) Mayo County Council meeting where councillors were told tougher sanctions and fixed penalty notices would be issued to those dumping illegally. From July 1, people who cannot prove a form of waste management will receive a fixed penalty notice.
Fine Gael councillor Gerry Coyle said the amount of rubbish contained in grass verges on sides of roads was ‘shocking’ and said he was also shocked at the amount of people who do not have refuse bins.
Fianna FΡil councillor Michael Smyth told the meeting that a new app to report cases of illegal dumping to the Environmental Protection Agency was proving effective.
The app, ‘See it? Say it!’, allows users to take a photo of the illegal dumping and pass it on to the relevant local authority, along with the GPS coordinates, so that it can be cleared away.