COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE/FIRHOUSE/BOHERNABREENA AREA COMMITTEE
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
QUESTION NO. 3
QUESTION: Councillor P. Kearns
Bearing in mind the stretched resources of the council due to the current pandemic. Could the manager let this committee know what plans are in place for the collection/ confiscation of stockpiled fuel for use in bonfires this Halloween.
REPLY:
The Council recognises the difficulties that Halloween causes for many communities through the illegal burning of waste on Halloween bonfires, the damage to local amenities, and the threat to property and local services.
In line with previous years the Council will adopt a cross departmental approach, utilising the services of Public Realm, Waste Enforcement, Environmental Awareness, Library Service, Housing and Community Services Departments to prevent damage and promote the “Safe Halloween” message. The Council's response to Halloween in 2020 will involve the following:
- Various awareness measures to highlight the dangers associated with bonfires and the harm done to the environment,
- Action by the Council's Environmental Licensing and Enforcement Section to deal with commercial premises and their obligations to properly store their waste including aerial surveys,
- The Public Realm response to remove stockpiles of bonfire materials will commence as soon as necessary most likely in September,
- Liaison with An Garda Siochana with regard to action being taken by them and by the Council in relation to this matter,
- Liaison with local residents groups who can help to identify the locations of material stockpiles,
- Implementation of the ‘bulbs not bonfires’ scheme which is a reward provided through South Dublin County Council’s Social Credit Scheme. This initiative provides communities with flowers in the Spring instead of scarred open space throughout the year. Last year we spent €2400 on bulbs for this popular scheme and similar will be spent again this year. For more information please contact the office at envawareness@sdublincoco.ie
- The social credits scheme will once again facilitate groups who are registered on the scheme with the disposal of materials at the Council's civic amenity site in Ballymount, and this will help to reduce the amount of materials being handed over for bonfires.
Electrical Recycling Collections for Halloween 2020
Recycle IT, in association with South Dublin Country Council and in partnership with WEEE Ireland, will host a series of free door to door electrical recycling collection days in residential areas across South Dublin prior to Halloween 2020. These collection days are now annual events and help ensure hazardous electrical equipment and batteries don’t find their way onto seasonal Bonfires.
The Recycle IT teams will be in South Dublin County in the weeks leading up to Halloween to help residents recycle all types of electrical, electronic and battery-operated equipment including old heaters, electronic toys, TV’s washing machines, cookers, kettles, phones and computers, really anything with a plug or battery (including batteries).
Recycle IT is very happy to work with community groups and resident’s associations to arrange free electrical recycling collections in September and October and throughout the year. You can call 01 4578321 or email info@recycleit.ie to learn more and take the first steps to arranging a FREE collection event for your estate or neighbourhood.
We are also working with Recycle IT on a improved mattress amnesty, details of which are being finalised (to take full account of Covid related restrictions), these details will be provded to the Members are publicised through all of our Social media channels.