Illegal Dumping- Ways to tackle the problem!

Posted on April 18, 2007 at 01:00 AM

Has anybody noticed a steep increase in illegal roadside dumping? This problem is becoming more prevalent and increasingly more difficult to tackle. We can't legislate for human behaviour but we can try and stem the tide.

The government needs to increase the tax credit to domestic refuse billpayers as a means of discouraging illegal dumping. Why not increase the current Tax Relief for Service Charges from 20% to 40% up to a maximum of €400. The current rate is allowable up to a limit of €400. If for example, someone pays €240 per annum in the current scheme they are entitled to a tax relief of €48. If the rate was doubled to 40% it would result in a rebate of €98."

The key to tackling illegal dumping also rests in providing greater resources to County Councils to allow this problem to be policed in rural areas which are most affected. The current embargo against taking on extra staff is preventing the policing of this problem within local authorities.

That fact that Ireland has now embraced people from across the globe the challenge will be to bring the message into all homes. We need to develop an multi-lingual approach to tackling this problem. This would involve multi-lingual "Ilegal Dumping Prohibited" signs, a more extensive schools education programme through the expansion of the Green Schools initiative and the compulsory signing up of all housesholds rented and otherwise to a refuse collection.

We also need to develop more civic amenity sites and facilities to allow people to recycle at source i.e large multiples such as TESCO and DUNNES need to develop recycling facilities to allow consumers to dispense with packaging at point of purchase.

Permanent link | Comments (0) | Categories: Environment