COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE
Monday, December 15, 2014
HEADED ITEM NO.9
Litter Management Plan:
Litter continues to be a significant challenge facing Councils across the county.
In addition to the Council’s role in litter management and enforcement, cooperation from all members of the community is required to reduce litter levels in the county.
Under Section 10 of the Litter Pollution Act, 1997, each local authority is required to adopt a Litter Management Plan (LMP).
The legislation prescribes the specific minimum components of a LMP, requiring information on litter prevention and control activities, and the setting of appropriate objectives and targets for the three-year period covered by the Plan. These statutory elements form the backbone of an effective Litter Management Plan.
South Dublin County Council's Litter Management Plan 2011-2014 reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to the environment and litter prevention in the County.
A review of delivery of the following objectives of the 2011 -2014 LMP is currently underway.
- Develop programmes on the basis of targeting the various litter categories, blackspots and illegal means of disposing of waste/refuse
- Develop a customer focused litter complaints procedure in order to deal effectively and efficiently with complaints
- Continue to actively enforce litter pollution and waste management legislation, bye laws and standards
- Improve the litter disposal systems available to the public
- Expand the recycling opportunities within the County.
- Continue to monitor and review road cleansing service in order to provide an improved service.
- Develop a litter management programme for designated urban areas within the County – Tallaght city, Clondalkin town centre, Lucan town centre etc
- Prepare litter management, education and awareness programmes that promote community and business involvement, community identity and responsibility, personal responsibility, youth activity etc
- Encourage active participation in Anti Litter Campaigns
- Develop a communications programme to promote a litter free County – including the promotion of the use of www.southdublin.ie and www.dublinwaste.ie
- Optimise the application of available technology in the enforcement and prevention of litter.
- Utilise systematic data analysis systems to monitor and plan Litter management and decision making
- Continue to research and implement best practice models
- Ensure the provision of a litter management plan for all major events
Notwithstanding the statutory obligation to review the current LMP, there are a number of reasons for review of the plan including:
- Need to assess the LMP with respect to the core functions prescribed for such Plans under the Litter Pollution Act, 1997, and to determine how we have discharged these functions;
- To ascertain whether or not the current Litter Management Plan acts as an appropriate framework for the anti-litter activities to be undertaken by the Council over the succeeding three years;
- To identify best practice as regards litter management planning. This will ensure that our future plans benefit from the experience gained from the successes and / failures in delivery of the objectives of the previous LMP.
It is envisaged that the review will be concluded by early January 2015, with a view to development of a new Draft for consideration at the February 2015 SPC.
Accordingly your observations / comments in relation to delivery of the objectives outlined above are welcomed.