Council defends ‘excellent’ bulky waste access across Meath after call for expansion
Meath residents already have an “excellent” level of access to bulky waste disposal options, according to Meath County Council, following a call for more equal distribution of amnesty services across municipal districts.
At the April meeting of Meath County Council, Independent councillor Carol Lennon submitted a motion requesting that equal access be provided to all municipal districts in relation to the local authority’s bulky waste amnesty scheme.
The council currently operates free bulky waste amnesty days at civic amenity sites in Navan, Trim and Kells, as well as an additional recycling centre in Dunboyne.
In its response, the council said Meath’s existing infrastructure, combined with access to similar schemes in neighbouring counties, already provides wide coverage for residents.
“We also recognise that Meath has a very large geographic footprint, with many residents living near county boundaries. These residents routinely access bulky waste days in neighbouring counties, all of whom provide similar schemes,” the council said.
It noted that local authorities including Louth, Kildare and Dublin operate free bulky waste days, while Cavan and Monaghan provide 50pc discounted events.
“This means that, in practice, residents all along the Meath border north, south, east and west can use whichever facility is closest to them, whether inside or outside the county,” it said.
“Bulky waste days are a regional norm, and Meath is performing fully in line with all neighbouring local authorities.”
The council also pointed to the national mywaste.ie service, which allows households to locate the nearest approved waste facility.
On operational arrangements, the local authority confirmed that vans are accepted at bulky waste amnesty days through its contractor Oxigen, but stressed that commercial or large-scale loads are excluded, as the scheme is intended for household use only.
“Across all local authorities, it is standard practice that residents bring their own bulky items to the designated facility. While the council fully covers the cost of managing and disposing of these items during our amnesty days, the transport element remains a matter for each household,” they added.
“Taking all of this into account, Meath residents in all districts already have excellent access to bulky waste disposal options.”
These include three civic amenity sites, free amnesty events, access to neighbouring county schemes, and safeguards to prevent commercial misuse.
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Lennon said it was “inherently unfair” that the coastal area is not included in the scheme.
“I get that Navan is the biggest town, but Kells and Trim are getting them, so why can’t we?” she said.
She suggested “sending a truck” to East Meath to facilitate bulky waste collection.
“People need to be able to get rid of their waste. I do think that a community collection, or an annual one, would be of benefit,” she added.