COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, November 13, 2023

QUESTION NO. 3

QUESTION: Councillor L.Guéret

To ask the Chief Executive for a report on what enforcement measures are in place for those who carry out illegal dumping.

REPLY:

The Council appreciates and shares the concern expressed by the elected members and members of the public in relation to the illegal dumping and fly tipping throughout the county.

A number of initiatives and enforcement measures continue to be implemented through the Environment Water & Climate Change directorate.

The Council’s Litter Management Plan has committed to the deployment of innovative and emerging technology, including Programmable Audio Messaging Devices to tackle the problem of illegal dumping and fly tipping and these devices have been installed at various locations across the county. Requests for the installation of such technologies are assessed on a case-by-case basis, having regard to certain criteria, including site suitability and the repetitive nature of illegal dumping and fly tipping. 

There is an increased and heightened visibility of the litter warden service. Areas which are prone to repeat incidents of illegal dumping/ fly tipping have been identified across the county and are patrolled on a regular basis. 

All reports of illegal dumping and littering are investigated by the Council's Litter Warden Service and all dumped material is searched for evidence. Where evidence is found, the appropriate enforcement action is taken under the Litter Pollution Act 1997, as amended. Increasingly, it is found that no personal information relating to polluters is contained within the dumped material, with personal information having been removed or shredded.

Waste Enforcement Officers continue surveillance operations on illegal collectors resulting in the confiscation of vehicles by An Garda Siochana and prosecutions in the District Court of the operators and the householders/businesses who transfer waste to unauthorised collectors.

Village cleansing programmes are ongoing in all town and village centres daily Monday to Friday and also on Sundays.

Existing cleaning schedules are reviewed and modified regularly, planned and scheduled clean-ups of areas prone to repeated littering/dumping incidents is ongoing, and there is continuing liaison with community groups for Clean-Up collections. 

Regard is taken of reports/survey findings e.g., IBAL and resources as available and appropriate, are applied.

An ongoing proactive anti-litter and anti-illegal dumping programme continues to be carried out as per the EMWR Waste Management Plan and the SDCC Litter Management Plan.

Some examples of the proactive initiatives that have been previously promoted/carried out and will continue to be, are the “tackle litter” adverts, the mattress amnesty and hazardous waste collections. These are all promoted through social media and radio.

Continued support is provided for the Green Schools Programme, which has a theme specially dedicated to litter and waste. Support is provided on an ongoing basis, to the green schools programme through talks, workshops, competitions etc. In the 2022/2023 school year 26 schools in South Dublin County received a green flag.

The Social Credit's Scheme (SCS) rewards community groups who improve their environment by carrying out pro-environmental actions such as community clean-ups. From January to October 2023 89 new applications (approximately 2500 clean ups annually) have been received and assistance provided through the scheme. The following materials are available throughout the county, in the two Council offices and a number of community centres to successful applicants: litter pickers, bags, hi-vis vests, shovels, brushes, paint, paint brushes and native pollinator seeds. Groups who avail of the supports are requested to return the materials following their clean up so that other groups may avail of them.

Some other proactive initiatives carried out include the National Spring Clean, the PURE project, the Anti-Litter & Anti-Graffiti awareness grants, WEEE collection days and Eco-Week.

The council continues to examine all options available to it to improve the aesthetic appearance of the county and continues to update members on the Litter Management Plan Annual Action Plans.

As always, the public is encouraged to work with the Council in helping to identify culprits who engage in illegal dumping and to report any incidents observed.