COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

QUESTION NO.  3

QUESTION: Councillor William Joseph Carey

"To ask the Chief Executive that, in light of the obvious and increasingly heavy usage of public bins in our parks and areas of food outlets in our villages and suburbs, (due no doubt to increased use due to covid restrictions which has led to public and open spaces seeing greater usage), can South Dublin County Council outline a plan to increase the schedule of maintaining and emptying these bins and to provide a response?"

REPLY:

South Dublin County Council parks have seen a huge increase in footfall and usage of facilities during the various periods and levels of Covid 19 restrictions, particularly during those periods where movement has been restricted to within a 5km radius of home.  This has resulted in an increase in usage of litter bins and unfortunately an increase in litter in parks in general.  A similar experience is taking place with some bins in villages and suburbs in proximity to food outlets.

South Dublin County Council put in place increased cleaning and litter bin servicing in April/May 2020 and this has remained in place at all times throughout the pandemic, at a substantial increase in cost to the Council.  The current arrangements in Corkagh Park have been reviewed in light of a renewed increase in park usage with days lengthening and weather improving, as the Covid 19 restrictions remain in place.  The provision of additional temporary bins in Corkagh Park has been trailed over the last number of weekends however the bin type in use is not suitable. An alternative more robust bin is currently being sourced for use this weekend.

It is clear that litter is at times being left beside and on top of litter bins by people using the parks for legitimate purposes.  It is most likely the case that users see this as responsible disposal of waste items such as coffee cups etc however these items usually end up on the ground, scattered around the park and contributing to the litter problem.  The Council would like to appeal to all park users as follows –

• If a litter bin is full, please do not leave litter or bagged dog waste beside the bin or on top of it.  Instead please either take your waste home or put it in another litter bin.
• Weekends are particularly busy in our parks during lockdown.  While the parks litter bins are serviced over the weekends and at bank holidays, it is not always possible to service bins before they become full nor is it possible to service them multiple times in one day.  The Council would like to appeal to park users to take their waste home for disposal if at all possible and to deal with their waste items in a responsible manner.