New campaign tackles illegal dumping in Cavan

Thomas Lyons

Creating awareness around the issues of illegal dumping is the purpose of a new anti-dumping awareness campaign entitled 'It’s Not in Our Nature – Is it in Yours?' that will see almost €55k spent in this county.

Launched by the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Denis Naughten, the campaign looks to tackle a problem that blights the region.
Cavan County Council has been allocated €54,700 and a schedule of clean ups will take place over the summer months in areas that have been highlighted as black-spots including Cavan Town, Fartin Upper and Cullaghboy, Kilcogy.
Public participation is a vital part of the initiative: "We’re very grateful to all the very responsible householders and community-minded people who do the right thing, who dispose of their waste correctly using authorised waste collectors, the extensive network of bring banks and the public and private Civic Amenity Centres located throughout the region," said Joe McLoughlin, director of services, Cavan County Council.
This campaign is a proactive step to further support the work being undertaken by the local authority and is being delivered in partnership with the Regional Waste Authorities. This year a total of €600,000 will be spent by county councils across the Connacht Ulster Waste Region to clean up sites containing illegally dumped material.
The new regional awareness campaign will support extensive clean-ups by local authorities throughout the nine local authority areas in the region– Cavan, Donegal, Galway City and County, Leitrim, Mayo, Monaghan, Roscommon and Sligo. 
Speaking at the campaign launch, Minister Naughten said it will support this year’s Anti-Dumping Initiative framework: “Not only will a wide range of clean-up projects led by local authorities take place, in addition, some local authorities have also sought funding for overt and covert surveillance equipment and drone technology to target dumpers.”
The aim is to reduce illegal dumping by providing funding for projects tackling the problem and to develop an integrated and effective combined approach with local authorities, communities and other state agencies.  A clean green environment is critical in terms of making the region a better place in which to live, work and do business.
Members of the public are being called upon to continue to play their part by ensuring to dispose of waste responsibly using a permitted service and to take the time to report sightings of illegal dumping to the local authority or through the Environmental Protection Agencies reporting app SEE IT, SAY IT.
The local authority is hoping that there will be a change in the attitude on the part of people who engage in fly tipping: "There is still a cohort of people who are irresponsible in disposing of their waste, which ultimately results in small and large scale illegal dumps, and to those individuals we appeal to cease this activity,” said Mr McLoughlin.
"Householders are being alerted to the fact that they are obliged to provide evidence of where they dispose of their waste and can be held responsible and fined for illegal dumping. Householders should retain receipts as proof," said Conor Craven, environmental awareness officer, Cavan County Council.

If you can assist Cavan County Council in their efforts to clean up the county you can contact the Waste Management Section, Cavan County Council Council on 049-4378300 or ccraven@cavancoco.ie